Full Circle: The Twilight Saga Continues, Book One
by BlondiezHere
Summary: Leah Clearwater has worked hard to put back together the life that shapeshifting and vampires took away from her. Yet just when she believes she has found her peace, her life is turned upside down one more time...
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"So, young lady," said Branson. "Tell me your story."

I looked up at Leland, who smiled and nodded, then turned my gaze to our guest. "What do you want to know?" I asked.

The older man, who in truth reminded me quite pleasantly of my own father, leaned forward eagerly. "Everything."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Do you really want to know _everything_?"

He nodded. "I do."

I looked to Leland again and he reached for my hand under the table, giving it an affectionate, encouraging squeeze. I smiled at him, then schooled my expression before turning once again to the man across the table.

"Well then, as Elizabeth said to Darcy's cousin … prepare yourself for something very dreadful…"


	2. Chapter 1

**1. The Eleventh Down  
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I had no idea how much I had been missing.

Part of my "master plan" for exorcising the wolf, so to speak, was to move to Port Angeles and start taking some classes at the community college there. I wanted-no, _needed_-a viable means of escape. At least in my mind, it felt like I needed to escape. Not so much from the Quileute reservation where I had spent all my life, but from what staying would mean. If I stayed, I feared I'd never gain the control I so desperately needed to conquer the beast inside me.

And there was literally a beast inside me: a huge, monstrous gray wolf the size of a horse. Or perhaps a pony, as I _was_ smaller than the males of either pack both in my human and wolf forms.

I hated to leave my mother and brother, and I really did try to visit, to go home as often as my schedule allowed. But it was altogether possible that the reason that happened so rarely was by design rather than accident-at least subconsciously. I filled up my day with college courses so that I didn't have time to think about anything other than my homework, and after school I had yoga and meditation classes scheduled just about every afternoon and evening. By the time I went to bed at night, I was worn out from keeping my mind and body occupied with things other than resentment and anger, and resignation towards things that were simply beyond my control. I didn't like things that were out of my control - okay, _hated_ them would be a more accurate description. Not being in control of my own life (which is how it had felt for a long time) had led to me not being in control of myself, something I hated even more. And I had lost control, lost it in a bad way that made me the kind of person even I wouldn't want to know.

Now I was going home to spend the entire summer. My associate's degree in Economics from PACC would be mailed to me. I could have attended the graduation ceremony, but as I had plans to continue my education in the fall, I didn't see the point. I packed up my clothes, closed and locked the door to the tiny apartment I had been sharing, walked down the stairs and out to my car. I loaded it up, got in, and soon was on my way home.

_Home_, I mused. Though I had grown to like living in the city, the reservation would always be home. It was the place I had grown up, had lived and loved for twenty-three years. My mother and brother still lived there, as did my cousin Emily and her husband, Sam. I smiled to myself, proud of how I could now think of Sam Uley and not feel any pain or bitterness. Whenever I thought of the love he and I had shared and lost, I still felt some sadness, but it was fleeting, and realizing that, I knew I had indeed come a long way. I still loved Sam and I always would. He would always have his own place in my heart, but the love had changed. _We_ had changed, thanks to a fate neither of us had expected, wanted, or had any control over.

There it was again. All about control, and who had it. Fate, Destiny, or God, or some other force had seen fit to tear Sam and I apart four years ago, when he had been the first of us to change. Sam was the first to become a wolf, proving that the genetic aberration which allowed the members of certain families in our tribe to change from human to wolf not only existed, but thrived. The problem was, however, that there was a … side effect. We called it imprinting, though our version differed slightly from the imprinting of wild animals. Wherein many wild animals believed the first living thing they saw after birth was their mother, and migrating birds "imprinted" the route from their birthplace to their winter home into their memories so they could follow it back again in the spring, with us shape-shifters it was a matter of our bodies physically recognizing and signaling to us the presence of our perfect match. Our soul mate, some would say. Sam's soul mate, as it turned out, wasn't me. It was my cousin Emily.

Several others followed in Sam's wake, turning into wolves in response to the presence of the vampires in nearby Forks-my brother Seth and myself included. My change in the early spring of 2006 was quite a surprise, and not just to me. In the history of our tribe, no other female had ever become a wolf warrior. I was the Alpha and the Omega, the one and only. In response to the pain of losing Sam and the confusion over what phasing was doing to my body, I became temperamental, bitter, and even downright mean. I abused the telepathic link we all shared when in wolf form because it forced me to remain connected to Sam at a time I would rather have forgotten that he existed. I wanted him to suffer as I was suffering, had wanted the people around me to be in as much pain as I was, because why should they be happy when I never would be? But as time passed, I realized if I was ever going to get over Sam, if I was ever going to be considered a decent human being again, I was going to have to find a way to get rid of the wolf. Ironically, given that it was the first thing that spun me toward the emotional wasteland I had been living in, I did once share with Jacob the hope that I would imprint as some of the others had, that I thought imprinting would be good for me. It would be a relief to imprint because then I could forget. Forget the pain and the heartbreak, the jealousy and the envy, because imprinting would make it all go away.

It'd been less than a year by that point since my first phase, which, upon reflection, meant that I had already put myself on the right path. I was in a healthier place than Jacob, so he had thought. Of course, as it would soon turn out, Jacob didn't have to wait much longer. He imprinted on, of all people, the minutes-old half-human, half-vampire child of the girl he himself had been in love with, who'd broken his heart when she chose a vampire over him. According to Jacob, Bella Cullen had once said they were always meant to be family, and he thought his imprinting on her daughter was proof of that.

There was a total of twenty wolves, twelve wolves in Sam's pack and eight in Jacob's - I had left the original pack, led by Sam since he'd been the first, and joined Jacob's as my brother had, when Jake had finally accepted his place as an Alpha. The hereditary Alpha, in fact. Soon after, his best friends Quil Ateara and Embry Call joined us, and over the next several months, twelve new wolves emerged, nine allying with Sam and three with Jacob. Of the twenty, ten had imprinted.

I was not one of the ten.

My younger brother had not imprinted either, but Seth was not as pessimistic about the possibility as I was. I had come to believe, for various reasons, that it was probably never going to happen for me, whereas Seth's attitude was, "I just haven't met her yet." Good for him, I often thought. At least he had hope.

I wondered as I made the drive home whether or not being on the reservation would be a problem for me. I hadn't gone home too often last summer because living in the city and going to college, in combination with the meditation and yoga, were my means of controlling myself so that I would not have to be a wolf anymore. I wanted to be "normal" again, to have a normal life and a normal body, so that I could fall in love, get married, and have children. And after three years as a half-woman, half-beast, I had succeeded. At least in regards to controlling the wolf: I had not phased in three months.

But the males were still phasing, even though the vampire presence in Forks was virtually non-existent. Few vampires came through tiny little Forks, Washington, and the Cullens - the vampire family that occasionally made Forks their home - had followed through on their plan to move to New Hampshire in the summer of '07. They only visited on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas now, though I recalled being told they also planned to spend the next few summers in Forks … at least until their apparent lack of aging made doing so impractical. This summer was no exception, and the only benefit of their return-as far as I could see-was the return of my pack Alpha, Jacob Black. I wasn't phasing anymore, but he still considered me his Beta, and we still shared a close friendship. I would be so happy to see him again and spend time with him. He was the only one who truly understood my need to be myself…

…without the wolf.

Still, with all the boys phasing - Jacob included; with a half-vampire imprint he could be phasing forever - and my spending an extended period of time in a place close to where the Cullens lived, I wondered if I would be able to resist the urge to join them. I'd been forced to admit, albeit reluctantly, that there were some joys to being an animal. Our kind of wolf was strong, agile, and fast. I had been the fastest of either pack, a fact I had eventually taken pride in. I had no doubts that one of the others would try to goad me into a race, testing my hard-won control. I knew, though, that they wouldn't push too hard. Neither Jake nor Sam would let them, and though I had grown significantly in maturity since my early days as a wolf, I was still infamous for my temper-no one would dare invoke my wrath on purpose.

When the outskirts of the reservation came into sight before me, I smiled. All I felt was joy, and a renewed appreciation for home.

As I drove, I saw in the woods more than one of my pack brothers, recognizing Quil and Embry, as well as Collin and Brady. The two pairs often ran together. I waved, earning wolf calls in response, and I had a feeling that my reception at home would include more than my mom and brother. Of course, I wasn't altogether surprised to find that my mother's car wasn't in the drive when I got there, which meant she was either at work at Forks Community Hospital, where she was a part-time nurse, or she was with Charlie. I couldn't help but shake my head at the irony of the mother of two wolves dating the father of a vampire, our enemy, and had to once again remind myself that the Cullens were not our enemies. Not only did they actually value human life to the point of only hunting animals when they needed to feed, but Jacob's imprinting on Renesmee meant that they were, in a way, extended family. And if the unbelievable occurred and Charlie Swan and my mother were to ever get married, they'd not only be Jake's family, but mine as well.

I pushed that thought away. It wasn't so much that I would mind if my mother remarried, as I wanted her to be happy first and foremost, and Charlie was a decent man whom I knew had come to care for her a great deal. It was the idea of being related, even if only by marriage, to a bunch of vampires. I mean, despite their "vegetarian" animal-blood diet and general distaste for others of their kind who hunted humans without remorse, they were _vampires_. Bloodsucking leeches. Killers. The enemy. Being what I was - the kind of creature whose very purpose for being was to destroy their kind of creature - my hatred of them was instinctual. It was part of being a wolf. Just because I hadn't been the animal for over 90 days and had hardly set eyes on a vampire over the last two years didn't simply take the instant dislike away. I knew that eventually I would have to see Bella, her husband Edward, and their daughter, and perhaps the rest of the family, but it didn't mean I had to look forward to it. I would simply have to do as I had done before, which was to tolerate them only as long as was absolutely necessary.

As I climbed out of the car, my seventeen-year-old brother bounded out of the house with a smile on his face. As was typical of the members of the two packs, he was clad in only a pair of shorts, which told me he had either just come from the woods or was planning on entering them soon.

"Big sister!" he said happily as he threw his long, still slightly gangly arms around me. Though as a shapeshifter he had filled out nicely, growing quite tall and muscular, Seth still had one of the leanest builds of any of the wolves. He could practically wrap his arms around me twice.

I smiled and laughed. "It's good to see you too, little brother," I said as I returned the embrace. "Where's Mom?"

"Took some lunch to Charlie," Seth replied, releasing me and reaching into my car for my two duffel bags. He slung them both over his right shoulder and threw his left over my shoulders. "She does that 'bout every day."

I only nodded, as right then my suspicions were confirmed and both Quil and Embry emerged from the woods near our house. "Well, if it isn't Leah Clearwater!" Embry called.

"Embry, Quil," I acknowledged.

Quil grinned. "Come back to join us?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow, but before I could respond, Seth jumped in with, "Come on, Q, you know she ain't. Don't bug her about it."

It was kind of cute that my little brother was standing up for me, though I'm sure Seth knew Quil was just asking out of habit. Though I was older by six years, after our father's death he had believed it his responsibility to become the "man of the house," and one of the duties that went along with that role was protecting the women in his life, which as far as I knew was just me and Mom. I kept the grin I felt from showing as Quil raised his hands in surrender. "I didn't mean anything by it, Seth. Just wondering is all."

I stepped out from under Seth's arm and patted him on the shoulder. "Thank you, Seth," I said, "but I can take care of myself. To answer your question, Quil: no. I'm ninety-two days wolf free, and I've no intention of breaking my streak anytime soon. I don't mind you asking, though, and would almost think you did because you missed me. That is, if I didn't know better."

Embry laughed out loud, earning him a punch in the shoulder from Quil. "Sorta," he replied. "If only 'cause there aren't any other wolf girls around."

I scoffed. "Hey, being the only female wasn't as fun as you might think, for more reasons than were made painfully obvious three years ago. I am _glad_ to get away from the over-abundance of testosterone, thank you very much. Too much more exposure to all those male hormones and I might have turned into a dude."

Embry's countenance went from laughing to serious, and I just knew he was about to make a smart-aleck remark. "Hey, I happen to think you'd make a very pretty boy," he said.

I lunged for him. Embry twisted away effortlessly, and a light-hearted game of chase ensued, with Quil rooting for Embry and Seth cheering me on. I don't know why I had worried about spending a long time here, as I could just as easily chase the boys around as a woman as I could in wolf form. We were both laughing by the time I let him off the hook several minutes later, and when he and I returned to where Seth and Quil were standing in the driveway, I saw that our audience had grown. Two more of the wolves, Mikah from Jacob's pack and Johnny from Sam's, had wandered over from somewhere. With them were Jared's fiancée Kim Connweller, and a green-eyed blonde with waist-length, wavy blonde hair I had never seen before.

I could feel my eyes growing wide when the blonde walked straight up to Embry and lifted up on her toes to kiss his cheek. He returned her affection by wrapping his arms around her shoulders and lightly kissing her forehead.

"Leah, you might want to close your mouth before a fly lands on your tongue," Seth whispered in my ear.

Not realizing that my mouth had been open, I automatically closed it, though Seth's admonishment didn't break my stare. The apparent lovebirds noticed when Quil, Mikah and Johnny started chuckling. Kim, still a little on the shy side, only smiled.

Embry's smile was bigger than I'd ever seen it, and I recalled that he had always been rather reserved, the kind of guy who only stepped out into the limelight if he had no other choice. The young man standing before me was far from that boy I once knew.

Giving the now blushing girl a gentle squeeze, he said, "Leah, you haven't had a chance to meet Cailin. Cai, this is Leah Clearwater, our pack Beta. Leah, Cailin McTiernan."

His use of the words "pack Beta" confirmed my growing suspicion-Embry had imprinted. That took the number who hadn't down to nine.

Remembering my manners suddenly, I stepped forward and held out my hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Embry's told me nothing about you, of course."

Cailin shook my hand firmly, and smiled. "'Tis a pleasure to meet you, as well. Contrary to yourself, I've heard a great deal about you."

She spoke with a soft accent I decided to be Irish. I smiled ruefully, saying, "And all of it absolutely horrid, I've no doubt."

"Nah, sis, we ain't told her any of the really bad stuff," Seth said. "Swear."

I turned my gaze to my brother with one eyebrow raised. "Trying to spare the poor girl nightmares?" I asked.

Everyone laughed at my brevity, even me. "Seriously, I hope it wasn't all bad," I said to Cailin. "I promise you that I'm a big girl again, so you don't have to worry about me biting your head off - literally or figuratively."

Her green eyes were curious as she said, "Embry says you're determined to give up your heritage."

Well, wasn't that the last thing I expected to hear? I nodded slowly. "In a sense. I'll certainly never stop being Quileute, nor would I try. I just don't want to be what the rest of them seem to enjoy being so much."

"But isn't being the Alpha Female supposed to be a position of respect and authority in a wolf pack?" Cailin wondered.

"There's only an Alpha Female if there are other females," Mikah said, speaking for the first time.

"And that's wild packs anyway," added Johnny.

Kim looked at them. "I'm sure it would be true for you guys too, if Leah weren't the only one," she offered.

I nodded. "It might, Kim, but due to some crazy genetic quirk, I inherited a little more from my ancestors than you or any of the other girls on the rez. And trust me - I think you got the better end of that deal."

Mikah came over to me and gave me a quick hug. "I gotta go. Just stopped by hoping you'd catch Embry and give him a good butt-kicking," he said. "And even if you have stopped going wolf for good, it's still good to have you home."

I smiled. "Thank you, Mikah. It's good to be home."

"Are you staying the whole summer?" asked Kim.

"Yup. Planning on it, anyway," I replied.

"Wonderful!" she exclaimed, her dark eyes brightening. "I was hoping you'd be here for the wedding."

"And miss an opportunity to give Jared a good ribbing? No way she'd miss that," said Seth.

I'd almost forgotten that hers and Jared's wedding was on July 3rd. It looked like the weddings of the pack members might take the same pattern as the boys who'd turned into wolves - some of them, anyway. Jared was the second to change, after Sam, and now he was the second wolf getting married. I wondered if Paul and Rachel would be next.

Mikah and Johnny left then, with Kim following after asking if she could call me soon to catch up. I turned to Embry and Cailin.

"I'm happy for you Embry, really I am, but…" I began.

"You're wondering how he could have imprinted on one so obviously not First Nation?" Cailin suggested.

I cleared my throat. "Well, there's that and … I guess I wonder how you're doing with all this. Being that you're not from around here, it must be more overwhelming for you than it was for any of us."

"Why don't we go have a seat, and Embry and Cailin can tell you all about their sweet little love story," Seth said with a sour expression.

Quil started backing toward the woods. "As much as I'd love to hear this story - again - I'd probably better get back to my patrol. Don't want to have to add time that takes away from my visit with Claire."

Claire was the soon-to-be six year old girl on whom Quil had imprinted almost three years ago. I watched Cailin's face as Quil spoke, wondering if she knew, as those who didn't understand were often horrified upon hearing that Quil and Jacob, and later Mikah, had imprinted on small children. The outsiders who knew (which was pretty much limited to the Cullens, because of Jacob's relationship with Renesmee, and the mates of the other wolves) had a tendency to believe that the choice of the imprintee had been stripped from her, and that the male in question had an unhealthy amount of authoritative influence over the child. As had been explained numerous times since the beginning of the new packs, imprinting was an utterly involuntary physical response on the part of the wolf - he had as little choice as they assumed the girl would have. While those who had imprinted on age-appropriate females were obviously engaging in romantic relationships, and it was presumed that when the children were older the same would be true for these three, the truth was that though he knew in the back of his mind becoming romantically involved was kind of the point, the imprintee _did_ have a say in the matter. If, sometime in the future, Claire or Renesmee or Ayana decided that they just wanted to be friends, Quil, Jacob, and Mikah would have to accept it. If all they ever wanted was for the boys to be a big brother or confidant, then that was acceptable to the wolf as long as it was what she really wanted.

Several of the wolves and the tribal Elders, Sam and Jake's father Billy among them, believed that a romantic attachment between the three wolves and the three young girls was inevitable, that it was their destiny to become a couple - otherwise, why would a child have been chosen for them? And why would either the wolf or the girl want someone else, when they were supposed to have been made specifically for each other? Some believed the purpose of imprinting was so the wolf would know who was his best chance of producing heirs with to carry on the shapeshifting gene, while others believed that imprinting made stronger wolves. The two opinions seemed pretty much the same to me, but then what did I know about imprinting? Only those who had been through it seemed to truly understand it.

As it was, currently the three young men had absolutely no romantic feelings toward their charges, only an almost obsessive need to be near her and a desire to do whatever it took to make her happy and keep her safe. It was why Jacob had gone more than three thousand miles away from home to live in New Hampshire with the Cullens, because he simply could not be so far apart from Renesmee.

I saw that Cailin was smiling. "I think it's sweet that Quil dotes on her so," she said. "Same as Mikah does with Ayana. My brother was like that a lot when we were younger. Being older, he thought it was his job to take care of me whenever our parents weren't around, and he'd have a row with anyone who tried to bully me."

"That's all it is for them right now," I told her. "Just being whatever the girls need them to be."

"Oh, don't worry," Cailin assured me as we all turned together and started toward the house. "I've had imprinting thoroughly explained to me. And being Irish, I sorta grew up in a fate and destiny influenced culture, so I understand it probably better than most."

I didn't know this girl from Eve, but I was already falling in love with her voice. It was not thickly accented, but soft and musical sounding, which made me wonder if perhaps she had not lived in Ireland her entire life. She was also very perceptive and accepting, it seemed, of all the strangeness going on around her.

We stopped and took places on the porch, Seth and I sitting in the two chairs, with Embry and Cailin sitting together on the steps. She settled back comfortably against his chest, and he rested his chin on top of her head while holding his arms loosely around her.

"Doesn't that make you hot?" I had to ask, wondering how she could stand to lean against his 108 degree body in her thin cotton sundress.

She grinned. "I'm getting used to it," she replied.

"Can I ask how the two of you met?"

Seth jumped up from his chair. "I'm gonna get something to drink. You guys want anything?"

Embry laughed, and I imagined that my brother and the others in his pack really had been forced to hear the story over and over again, since they couldn't avoid Embry's thoughts when they were in wolf form together.

"I'd love a Coke if you and Mom have any," I said to Seth. Embry and Cailin asked for the same, and my brother darted into the house to get the sodas.

"My mom and I," Embry began, "were in Seattle. I don't know if Seth or your mom told you how she broke her leg just a couple days after you went back to Port Angeles from Spring break."

I nodded. "Seth mentioned it, yeah."

"Well, the break was pretty bad, and the docs at FCH wanted her to see this orthopedic specialist in Seattle, and I had to drive her. While we're there, she decided to surprise me with dinner in the Space Needle's restaurant."

I narrowed my eyes with mild envy. I'd always wanted to go up in the Space Needle, and Embry had beaten me to it.

"Anyway, while we were waiting for our food, I noticed this kinda pulling sensation. Kept feeling like I should go and look out the observation windows, you know? Couldn't get the thought out of my head," Embry went on. "So I go over there and while the view was amazing, of course, I was like, compelled or whatever to look to my left, and I found myself staring into the most beautiful Irish green eyes I had ever seen in all my life."

Seth came out then with our drinks, giving two cans to Embry and Cailin and rolling his eyes at me as he handed me my can. I popped the top and took a drink before asking, "Dare I ask how you approached a complete stranger?"

"Actually, I was the bold one," Cailin said. "I was about to start on a project for my Cultural Anthropology class at university, and had actually decided just that morning to write a paper on one of the local Native American tribes in Washington. When I saw Embry, I of course made the assumption he was, and so I asked him to be sure. Meeting him like that when I had just decided to do my paper on a First Nations tribe was too much a coincidence to ignore. So I pumped him for information, and he invited me down to the reservation to meet his people, so I could learn more for my paper."

Fate and destiny indeed, I mused.

I took another drink of my Coke. "If you two met and he imprinted on you then, how come no one told me? I mean, it was three months ago. I know I'm trying to get away from the wolf part of all this, but that doesn't mean I don't care about what's going on."

"I didn't tell you anything because it wasn't really my place," Seth said. "Not my news to tell. Mom's either."

I looked at him briefly. "Okay, I get that, but I would think I'd have heard about it from someone."

"And that would be my doing," Embry told me. "You know how … well, how what happened with Sam and Emily serves as kind of a lesson to the rest of us about controlling our temper around the people we care about?"

I knew alright. No wolf who looked at Emily Uley's face could ever forget that, early on in their relationship, Sam had gotten angry - still being rather new to shapeshifting he didn't have the best control over his temper - and phased right next to Emily, mauling her face and arm on the right side. The official story was that she'd been caught unaware in the woods by a bear, but no one who was a wolf would ever forget that _Sam_ had done that to her (permanently scarring Em) because he lost his temper over something so trivial neither could remember what they'd been arguing about.

"Well anyway, I took advantage of Cai's college project to spend time with her, get to know her and stuff," Embry went on. "But the whole first two months I debated whether or not to tell her he truth … to tell her everything. I mean, since she didn't grow up hearing the stories like we did, I figured it would be harder for her to believe me, if she ever did."

Cailin patted his knee. "Of course, not being influenced by the imprinting the way you were, I didn't know you were acting on an instinct that goes deeper than the old 'love at first sight' bit. I just knew that's how I felt about you. Oh, I didn't think about it like that then. Just knew that I thought you were really sweet and polite, and so generous to help me out. I'd felt bad at first for bombarding you like that in the restaurant."

He turned his head to look at her. "You don't feel bad anymore?" he queried.

She lifted her emerald-colored eyes to look up at him, grinning openly as she replied, "Not in the least."

Turning back to me, Cailin added, "All the while he was debating whether or not to reveal his secrets to me, I was falling for him anyway. When he did, I was, naturally, taken aback. I suppose of course it was the showing that did it for me."

"He's shown you his wolf form?" I asked.

"Yeah," replied Embry. "Invited her out to First Beach one night about three weeks ago, said I had something I had to tell her. Wasn't sure how she would take it, of course, how to even say it, so I just showed her." He wrapped his arms more tightly around Cailin for a moment, closing his eyes for a brief second as he remembered that night. "I walked a few feet away, started taking my clothes off - not all the way, of course. Boxers can be replaced more easily than shorts and shoes. Anyway, laid my shorts on the sand next to my shoes and shifted."

"Scared the bloody hell out of me," Cailin put in. "I mean, one second there's this handsome boy I'm falling for, and the next there's a giant sodding wolf! I wanted to run away at first, didn't want to believe me own eyes, but … I looked into 'is, into that sad face that I could see was so forlorn. I saw Embry in those eyes, and somehow I knew he was more afraid of my running away and leaving him than I was of the wolf in front of me. And it registered that he hadn't attacked me-in fact, he hadn't made any move at all in my direction. Just dropped down on his hindquarters and sat there looking at me with those sad, dark eyes of his."

Seth stifled a groan. "Yeah, nice night that was. No offense, guys, but it kinda sucked to be in Jacob's pack that night, 'cause any of us that was wolf then had to listen to Embry saying over and over again how he'd just scared her away, she was gonna leave, and why the heck did he have to go and ruin it for. Crap like that."

"Just you wait 'til your time comes, young pup," Embry said. "Going up against a leech ain't nothing compared with the possibility that your imprint might walk away from you because you're a thing instead of a man."

This time she smacked his knee. "You're a man, _not_ a thing," Cailin scolded him.

Embry kissed the top of her head. "I know. And more of a man every day, with you in my life."

My brother didn't bother to stifle his groan this time, and though I remained silent, I concurred. For different reasons than Seth, I suddenly didn't want to hear any more. My gut was twisting uncomfortably as I watched these two, their affection for each other as deep and obvious as it was with the other couples, and I was reminded once more of how screwed up becoming a wolf had made my life. I looked out over my front yard and took another swig of my Coke while I attempted to reign in the unexpected pang of envy.

"So anyway," Embry continued, "as you've seen, she didn't run away. And as Seth said, it's my news to tell. Figured I'd tell you next time I saw you. Wasn't nothing personal about it or anything, like I was trying to keep it a secret or whatever."

I looked back at him. "I know that. And like I said, I am very happy for you."

Embry smiled. "Eleven down, nine more to go."

I did not voice my opinion that the number was eight instead of nine. I didn't want to think about imprinting anymore, because I was still of the opinion that it was never going to happen for me.


	3. Chapter 2

**2. I'll Know It By the Feeling**

"You know," Cailin said after a silent moment, "my own people are firm believers in the supernatural. Ireland's history is full of myths and legends of people having abilities and powers that far surpass that of the human norm, that are beyond our concept of reality."

She sighed. "Even knowing that, growing up with my own spooky stories, I had a hard time believing what was right before me very eyes. Kept thinking it wasn't real, that this couldn't be happening to me… Only it was real and it was happening. And to think I went to First Beach that night fully expecting that when Embry showed up, he was going to tell me he couldn't see me anymore. I had seen for some time that, although he did obviously care for me, he was holding back. Hiding something. I thought that he was going to tell me that he couldn't be with me because I'm not Quileute."

"Babe, my mother's not Quileute, either," Embry reminded her.

"I know. But she is an American Indian, so she fits in where I don't. And I've seen the way people look at her when they think no one sees them," Cailin pointed out.

I could feel my eyes widening again, surprised by her frankness. I felt Seth tensing beside me, but Embry himself seemed completely unfazed.

"There's a reason for that," he said quietly, "which I have already explained to you."

"I know," Cailin said again. "It's all about who your _da_ is or is not, though one would think her not disclosing such pertinent information would actually keep her off the reservation. As for us, I was thinking a little farther back in time, back to a time when red men-or women-having a relationship with a white was frowned upon by the tribe. All your friends were very accepting of me, of course, which I'm sure had something to do with the imprinting."

She turned to face him. "But love, of all your brothers who have imprinted, you're one of only two who imprinted on someone who isn't even Indian. I haven't a milliliter of Native American blood in me."

"No, yours is Emerald Isle green. If you came from a family of shapeshifters, you'd probably be a dragon."

Cailin grinned and turned back around to settle against his chest once more. "Too right," she said. "Dragons are way cooler."

In all the time I'd known him, I had never heard anyone-_ever_-speak of the mystery of who Embry's father was with such … abandon, I guess. Even in my angry period, I don't think I'd been so bold, as we all knew how very touchy a subject it was (I was far more self-centered in those days than I care to remember, and spent most of my time focused on my own pain and misery). Any time it did come up, Embry always let the comments slide off his back like they were nothing, and would effortlessly change the subject. I had to give his girl silent props for being so brazen.

It was her Parthian shot, however, that effectively changed the subject this time. Embry, Cailin, and Seth launched into a debate about which animal it was cooler to be, wolf or dragon. Cailin insisted that there were indeed stories of shapeshifting dragon people in many of the Irish myths and legends she'd heard as a child, and that they could live to be thousands of years old. It was said, she told them, that these mythical persons experienced a phenomenon similar to the wolves' imprinting, in that they were connected to their bondmates so intensely that if one died, the other was driven to madness or suicide.

"So maybe it's your dragon blood Embry was attracted to," Seth teased.

Her expression was absolutely serious when she replied, "Could be," and smiled a mischievous little smile.

I chuckled in spite of myself, realizing once again how good it felt to be sitting here on my own front porch visiting with neighbors. I was spared from being dragged into the dragon-wolf debate when my mother's car pulled in behind mine. I set my now-empty can aside and stood to go out and greet her.

"Leah, sweetheart!" she exclaimed as she got out.

I jogged the last few steps and threw my arms around her-I had never felt so happy to see my mother. "Hey, Mom."

She stepped back and looked at me. "You're looking pretty happy, dear. Let me guess-it's been a while since you … you know. How long this time?"

I grinned. "Ninety-two days and counting," I replied proudly. "I'm on my way, Mama. If I can keep this up, maybe I'll meet someone with whom to give you some grandchildren in the next few years."

Though she smiled, my mom said, "As nice as that would be, I'm perfectly happy to wait a little longer. I'm much too young to be a grandmother."

She nodded up toward the porch, where my companions were still discussing whether it was cooler to be a wolf or a dragon. "I see you've met Cailin."

I nodded. "Yeah. She seems to be handling the supernatural stuff pretty well, all things considered."

"Well, as she explains it, it's 'all in the Irish.' Celtic mythology is full of such things as magic and shape-shifters and the like. Since she came long, I've been doing quite a bit of research, and there are some similar mythologies between the Celts and the Quileutes. Few, to be sure, but some." Mom sighed as she watched the animated discussion on the porch. "Despite the fact that Jacob's imprint is of Caucasian origin, I think we all expected that-because of his Quileute blood, which is where he gets the wolf gene from to begin with-if Embry were to imprint, it would be one of our girls. Or a girl from another tribe, like Collin Littlesea's imprint, who's Cherokee."

"Cailin used the term 'bondmate,'" I said.

Mom looked at me, then back at the trio ahead of us. "Yeah, I think I've heard her say that before, as well-an appropriate distinction, actually, given how our wolves are psychically bonded to their mates."

She chuckled. "Still, it was … unexpected, that Embry's mate would turn out to be a paleface. Then again, as the song goes, 'The Lord moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.'"

I wanted, suddenly, to change the subject again. All this talk of imprinting and bondmates was beginning to dig into my new happy, care-free attitude. I didn't want to let it depress me, being quite possibly the only one who didn't have a snowball's chance of imprinting. Getting depressed would lead to a lapse in my self control, and I wasn't going to let that happen.

"How's Charlie?" I asked a little too brightly.

If Mom noticed, she didn't show it. She only smiled hugely and said, "Charlie's wonderful. I think he's grown quite dependent on my cooking to keep him alive-he never cooks for himself anymore, thank goodness, and only eats at the Carver Café about twice a week now."

I looked at her. "From what I hear from Seth, it's more than your cooking Charlie likes," I said pointedly.

She blushed and looked down for a moment. "Charlie's a good man, Leah. I've grown … quite fond of him."

I put my arm around her shoulders. "Mom, it's okay if you have feelings for Charlie Swan," I found myself saying. "Even if his daughter did choose to become a bloodsucker."

She looked at me admonishingly, then said, "Speaking of which, Charlie says the Cullens will be in town this afternoon for their summer visit. I know that's not happy news for you. But at least it means Jacob will be home, which _should_ make you happy. And Billy, too. He hates that Jake has to go so far away."

"Mom, I hate it, too," I said, my spirits lifted at the thought of seeing Jacob again. He'd probably be spending most of his time with the Cullens, of course, but he had to come home sometime, at least, to see his father and sisters. Despite the fact that Jacob's imprint was one of them, making them, for all intents and purposes, family, Billy Black refused to go to the Cullens' house or spend time with them unless it was absolutely necessary. The ingrained distrust of vampires simply ran too deep for him to overcome it.

"Hey, Leah, can you do me a favor?" Mom asked.

I nodded. "Sure, what is it?"

She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to me, then pulled out her wallet and extracted her debit card. "Do some grocery shopping for me? You know how your brother and his friends are with food. I'd have done it while I was in town seeing Charlie, but I've got an evening shift at the hospital."

I took her card and slipped it and the grocery list into my pocket. "Sure, Mom. It will give me something to do while I wait to hear from Jake."

I looked toward the porch. Embry and Cailin were standing, probably getting ready to take off. Seth stood as well, and walked with them out to Mom and me.

"Hey, Mrs. C," said Embry.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Clearwater," Cailin added.

Mom smiled at them. "Hello, kids. What were you guys talking about just now?"

Cailin giggled. "Embry made a comment 'bout if I were from a shapeshifting family, our animal form would probably be a dragon - which wouldn't surprise me, given me Mum's maiden name is Drago."

"She tried saying being a dragon would be cooler than being a wolf," Seth said.

Cailin scoffed. "I didn't _try_ to say it, Clearwater, I _did_ say it," she retorted. "And I still absolutely believe it."

"So of course, we just had to discuss whether or not being a dragon would be cooler than being a wolf," Embry said, answering Mom's question. "I tried to straddle the fence on that one, though. Being a wolf myself, I think it's great, but I had to support my girl, too."

Mom laughed. "I don't imagine it was easy to do. I've found it's hard to argue with Seth."

Seth rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks for the support, Ma."

"Anytime, son."

"Hey, any word on when Jake will be back for the summer? Been missing running with my Alpha," Embry said then.

"The Cullens are due in this afternoon, according to Charlie," Mom answered.

Embry clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Excellent! I can hardly wait to see him."

"I think we're all feeling that way, dude," Seth told him. "Of course, since Jake don't know about Cailin either, probably means we're going to have to hear the sappy love story all over again. Ugh, will it never end?"

Though I knew Seth was being facetious, once again I had to silently agree with his sentiment. I didn't want to hear any more about sappy love stories either.

"I'm telling you, man, when it happens to you… You just don't get it until it does," Embry was saying.

"Yeah, so you all keep saying."

"Anyway, we're gonna go," Embry went on. "I've missed some of my patrol, so I should probably get back to it before Sam or one of the others comes looking for me." He pulled Cailin into a hug and kissed her quickly. "See you later, babe."

"Later, love," she replied, watching him as he took off toward the woods. She turned back to us when he disappeared. "I should go as well, got errands to run for me own mum. It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Leah."

As I did genuinely like Cailin, I smiled. "It was nice to meet you, too," I said.

With a little wave, the girl started off down the road.

"Seth, you going out today, too?" Mom asked, gesturing to his lack of a shirt.

"I was planning on it," he said, "but if you need me to stick around for anything, all you gotta do is ask."

"No, you go ahead. I'm just gonna go in and change for work, and your sister's agreed to do the grocery shopping for me."

"Awesome, we're getting low on the goods."

I raised an eyebrow. "Gee, Seth, I wonder why?" I needled.

Seth shot me a sour look and stuck out his tongue, then after giving our mother a quick hug and a "See ya later, Mom," he, too, took off for the woods.

* * *

><p>After Mom had dressed for work and left, I made the drive into Forks to do the grocery shopping. I found a spot close to the door of the supermarket and parked, got out, and stopped in my tracks. Coming out of the store were Emmett Cullen and Rosalie Hale, his wife. Despite the fact that I knew they were coming, I hadn't expected to ever see them at the grocery store. Then again, they had Jake living with them (from what I had heard, he slept in Edward's old room in the main house while Edward, Bella, and Renesmee went to their cottage in the woods at night), and Renesmee was able to eat human food, though she preferred blood. It also occurred to me that with his daughter in town, Charlie would be spending a lot of time at their house, and they had to be able to feed the people who still ate food.<p>

Emmett noticed me first, and smiled as he waved. Though I only tolerated the Cullens out of loyalty to Jake, Emmett, as it turned out, was the kind of guy who never backed down from a challenge. He seemed to see my dislike of his family as one of those challenges, and believed it was only a matter of time until I caved. Truthfully, he was beginning to wear me down. I had actually grown to like his perpetually jovial, fun-loving personality - though I wasn't ready to admit it. It was the pranks that had done it: he loved playing pranks on his family members, and I especially liked it when he got Bella good.

Rosalie lifted her eyes toward me when he waved, and I didn't miss the slight wrinkling of her nose when she saw me. Even thirty feet away she could smell me, and even though I hadn't shifted in three months, apparently I still smelled like a wet dog to her. Well, she wasn't the only one who thought the other smelled bad. Though I actually refrained from openly displaying my displeasure, another moment to be proud of for me, my sense of smell was still as sharp as being a shapeshifter had made it, and the two of them still had a cloying, sickly sweet smell to them-the kind that made a person want to gag. All vampires smelled that way to us wolves, just like we always smelled like dirty, wet dogs to them.

Though I still didn't like most of the family - Esme's mothering was often stifling and Alice's foresight was just creepy - there were those I had come to like (Emmett) and respect (his "father," Carlisle; the older vampire was a good doctor, and didn't even seem to mind being referred to as Dr. Fang, a nickname given to him by Jacob). Rosalie, however… I didn't particularly like her. She was vain and selfish, like Bella, and those had always been traits I had despised in other girls. But I had come to understand that Rosalie had deeper issues under the surface that I had in common with her, such as not being happy with her body being frozen in time. When she'd been turned into a vampire by Carlisle, she'd lost the ability to have children of her own, the same as I had lost mine when I'd become a wolf. At least, that was my belief, that I was never going to be able to have kids because once I had become a wolf, I'd stopped menstruating. It was one of the strongest motivators I had for shutting the door on that part of my life, because it was one of the things I refused to give up.

Rosalie had been the first person Bella had turned to when she'd gotten pregnant with Renesmee; the ability to have children was one of the things Rosalie had envied about Bella's human existence, and the younger woman had known that the older would do whatever it took to protect her while she carried the only child she would ever have with Edward. It was through that bond they had developed that had helped me understand them a little more, at least their motivations for seeing the pregnancy through despite the fact that it was killing Bella. I'd even told this to Jacob one night while we were patrolling the woods around their house, keeping them safe from Sam's pack. I'd also confessed that, were I in either of their positions, or had Bella actually asked me to help, I would have done the same thing.

I regained my composure quickly and started toward the store. Emmett and Rosalie met me half way.

"Hey there, Wolf Girl," Emmett said by way of greeting.

I nodded. "Emmett. Rosalie," I returned politely. "My mother told me Charlie said you were going to be in town today. Didn't expect to see you so soon."

Rosalie sniffed. "We got duped into coming to buy food for Mutt Boy and Nessie," she said.

I tried not to narrow my eyes, knowing that "Mutt Boy" was a reference to Jacob. I reminded myself that it had become a part of their love/hate relationship, the trading of insults. Even Edward, who was likely to one day become Jake's father-in-law, had taken to calling him "dog" or "mongrel" on occasion, although with those two, it was much friendlier.

"So Jacob is at the house now?" I asked, instead of allowing myself to be baited.

"Meh. He's probably out hunting with Edward, Bella, and Nessie," Emmett replied. "But they shouldn't be gone too long - Nessie's getting really good at it. She's turning into a real pro. So proud of her, really proud."

He mock-sniffled and raised a hand to his eyes as if to wipe away tears. Rosalie shook her head and rolled her eyes. I thought his act was slightly comical, and had to force myself not to let my grin show.

"I'll bet you are," I replied simply. "I'd better get going - gotta buy food for my own house, since Seth keeps eating it all."

"Speaking of which…" Rosalie began tentatively, "how's … how's the not-being-a-wolf thing going for you?"

She knew? What the hell had Jake been telling them? I wondered testily. Then I reminded myself that I had hardly made it a secret that I wanted to stop being a wolf, so I could return my body and my life back to normal. Then I had the oddest thought: Perhaps Rosalie was jealous of _me_ now. Okay, I knew that was a bit self-centered, but it sort of made sense. She could very well be envious of the fact that I could, with time and a great deal of self-control, eventually reach a point where I would start to age again. Aging meant my body would change, and hopefully that my periods would return … which meant I would be able to have children.

Rosalie Hale did not have that option. Her body would be frozen forever.

"Not too bad, actually," I replied. "Ninety-two days and counting as of today."

She cleared her throat and blinked. "Well, um, good for you. Emmett."

With that, Rosalie started pushing their cart down the aisle of cars. Emmett shrugged, then smiled and said, "See ya, 'round, Wolf Girl," and jogged after her.

I watched him go, then headed into the store, shaking my head at the entire encounter.

* * *

><p>I spent nearly ninety minutes at the grocery store, and after loading up the car with groceries that could very well only last a week with all the wolves running around La Push, headed for home. They all ate at home, sure, but they also all ate at each other's houses all the time. When Paul had first imprinted on Rachel Black, Jacob and Billy had both complained all the time about how he was always over at their house eating their food.<p>

Ugh, there it was again, invading my thoughts. Imprinting, love stories … I had been home less than half a day and I was already getting sick of it. I began to wonder if I should cut my visit short and head back to Port Angeles this weekend, but I had promised Mom and Kim that I was staying the whole summer. Then I thought of this as yet another test of my will power. The weekends and holidays had been difficult enough for the last year or so, and an entire two and a half months of being exposed to the wolves, both in human and wolf form, and their affectionate behavior around their bondmates would certainly be much harder to endure.

_But I can do it_, I told myself firmly. _I won't let this affect my streak-I_ am _going to be normal again_.

As soon as I got myself in the car and was pulling out of the parking lot, I turned on the car radio, as was my habit when I drove. I hummed along absently to the songs I knew, changing the station when a drippy love song came on. Don't get me wrong, Taylor Swift is a talented girl and I kind of liked her music, but if I heard "Love Story" one more time, I was going to scream. Why was it that, when I was just getting comfortable with my life, had just found myself in a place of relative peace, the fact that I was single was suddenly being shoved down my throat?

Nickelback's "Gotta Be Somebody" was playing on the new station, and I wondered if it was true, that there _had_ to be somebody for me out there. When it ended, the first strains of another song that I totally identified with began. This one I fully sang along with, even turned up the volume, because it spoke to that secret place inside me where I was still heartbroken and in pain. Yeah, I had a good life with school and a part-time job in the community college's bookstore, had myself a few friends, and I considered myself to be at peace, but … I was alone in the car. I didn't have to lie to anyone here. I might not have been angry anymore, but I was still hurting. Truth was, I desperately envied the eleven wolves who had imprinted. Through the bonding process, mystical though it was, they had found the kind of inner peace that I could only dream about. I envied my mother, who had found it not just once, with my father, but appeared to have found it again with Charlie Swan. Me? Four years after Sam had been forced to leave me to follow the imprinting instinct, I was still single.

Alone.

Natasha Bedingfield had it right in this song when she said, "Somebody tell me why I'm on my own, if there's a soul mate for everyone?"

Surrounded by so many slap-happy couples, I could just tell that it was going to be a long summer. Suddenly irritated by my own melancholia, I switched the radio off and kept my eyes on the road in front of me as I drove along through the forested landscape. Usually the road between Forks and the reservation was clear, with little traffic. Today was true to form, though I noticed, about a quarter-mile ahead of me, a car pulled off to the side of the road. It was an old car, a convertible. Looked like something Jacob would have liked-he was into cars. So was my brother. Once Seth had shed the "pesky little kid" position amongst Jake's pack, the two of them had grown as close as brothers, and a passion for cars was something they shared.

As I drew closer, I felt the oddest sensation in my chest. I still can't quite put words to it, but the best I can think of is that I suddenly knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I absolutely _had_ to stop. It felt very weird, this strange pull toward the as-yet unseen stranger under the open hood-all I could see of him or her was a leg at that moment. In a way, I think I was frightened by it. It was too sharp and sudden, coming out of nowhere like it did, and I could think of no reason for me to feel something like that. As I drew closer I could feel my foot easing off the gas pedal as if it were being commanded from some brain other than my own. The closer I got, the sensation spread through me, touching every nerve fiber in my body. As scared as the feeling made me, I nonetheless complied with it, pulling past the classic car whose driver was bent under its hood, parking my car on the shoulder about fifteen feet ahead.

I had to get out, to meet this person-that much I knew. The pulling sensation was much stronger now. I glanced in the rearview mirror and felt my eyes widen in appreciation. Hey, I'm a woman, I couldn't help it. The driver was a man, and when he was bent over the car's engine, I could see he had a well-shaped derriere. Shaking my head, I turned the car off, pulled the key from the ignition and got out. I was following the pulling sensation toward this guy-it was definitely leading me to him-even though I couldn't say why I felt the need to do so, nor could I really say I understood it. I also didn't know a single thing about cars, so there was really little I could do for him but offer the use of my cell phone if he didn't have one.

As I drew closer, I took in more details. He was dressed in a sleeveless gray t-shirt, knee-length khaki cargo shorts, and his feet were clad in a pair of those tan boots construction workers usually wore. His arms and legs were well-muscled, he had long black hair that was held back in a braid, and skin that was dark copper in color. Though he could have just been really tan, I surmised he might be Native American, like me.

I cleared my throat nervously. "Excuse me," I said. "I don't know much about cars but…"

He looked at me over his shoulder, his black-brown eyes meeting mine with a smile. I, on the other hand, faltered in my stride, my breath escaping my lungs in a sudden whoosh. Looking into those eyes, I suddenly felt the very fabric of my life completely unravel. All those threads wove together again to form a single, unbreakable rope that I knew with absolute clarity had just bound me to this complete stranger forever.

_I just imprinted_, I thought in breathless wonder. _Wasn't expecting that one…_

* * *

><p>Seconds passed. The stranger straightened, his smile changing to a look of concern. "You okay?" he asked.<p>

I blinked, drawing in a deep, staggering breath. The smile that came to my face was full of all the joy and wonder and surprise and stunned disbelief I was feeling in that moment. He smiled when I did, and a burst of joy-filled warmth spread through me.

"I … I'm sorry," I stammered. "For some reason, I suddenly lost my train of thought."

He grinned wider. "It's okay - I have that affect on women all the time," he joked, leaning back against the fender. "Though truth be told, never one quite so beautiful as yourself."

I could feel a flush creeping up my neck. "Does that line ever work for you, stud?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

The stranger laughed. Moving off the fender, he walked the last few feet between us. "I've actually never used it before. Is it working?"

I laughed, feeling giddy - this guy had no idea what was working here. I mean, _me_, the one and only female wolf, the one who thought she would never, _ever_ imprint no matter how much I had longed for it… For goodness' sake, I hadn't even phased for three months! Should this even be possible?

But it _was_ possible, and it _had_ happened. Of that I was certain. I'd heard too many descriptions of the process to not be sure of what had just happened to me. A thought occurred to me then: perhaps, unlike the males in the two packs, I'd had to _stop_ phasing to imprint. After all, a woman's body had to go through changes and cycles in order to reproduce-did this mean that my body was finally returning to normal? That the reason I had suddenly found my soul mate in this perfect stranger was because I was back on track? The questions without answers made me light-headed, and I realized that although I was definitely sure I wanted the answers, I also didn't care. Was _that_ even possible?

"Jury's still out," I answered him. "Why don't we rewind and do this right? I'm Leah Clearwater."

The stranger held out his hand, still smiling pleasantly, and we shook. "It's a real pleasure to meet you, Leah Clearwater-even if you don't know much about cars. My name's Leland Whistler."

The name struck a chord in me, and I could tell by his expression that my own had changed. "Did … did you say Whistler?" I asked.

Couldn't be, I thought. Whistler had to be a common enough last name. Just because this tall, wonderful, beautiful man with shiny, long black hair and copper skin looked Native American didn't mean he was, nor did it mean he was related to perhaps the last living witness to the previous wolf pack, other than Old Quil. For that matter, I suddenly thought, Old Ray could very well have _been_ a member of Ephraim's pack.

"I … I'm sorry," I said, stammering again. "This might sound a little odd, but you wouldn't happen to know if you're related to a Quileute Indian named Raymond Whistler Sr., would you?"

Leland's face brightened. "That would be my grandfather-my father was Raymond the Second. Do you know my grandfather?"

He looked so eager, and I felt so pleased to be able to answer that question. "Yes, though not well. Old Ray is one of our tribal elders. It's so nice to be able to welcome a fellow Quileute back home!"

I was excited - Leland was one of my people. Not that it would have mattered if he weren't, as Embry's imprinting on Cailin McTiernan was proof of, but that I hadn't been wrong about his First Nations blood was a relief.

"Not technically back home," Leland said sheepishly. "I've never been to the Quileute rez before. I grew up on a Lakota reservation in South Dakota."

It came back to me, then, the story I had heard from my parents about how Old Ray's son, known back then as Little Ray, had run away with the daughter of a visiting Haida couple from Alaska. The girl's father was a contractor, I recalled, who had been assigned as project supervisor for the construction of a hotel in La Push. They'd been staying on our reservation with distant relatives…

I nearly choked when I remembered who those relatives were. Leland was related, distantly and through marriage, to Sam. If I was remembering correctly, and I was pretty sure I was, my mother had told me that Levi Uley's wife had been Haida. Leland's mother and her parents had been staying with Joshua Uley and his parents the summer that Chester Raven had worked on that hotel.

I recovered quickly, pushing aside the new questions in my head, such as how did Little Ray and the girl, whose name was Anita, end up on a Lakota rez in South Dakota? "Well, home just the same," I said. "Old Ray doesn't get out much, he's between eighty and ninety years old now, but he's your family and that makes the rez home for you, too."

Leland's smile was incredulous. "I can't tell you how happy I am to hear my grandfather is still alive. I see it as a sign."

He turned and gestured toward his car. "Too bad you don't know cars, Leah Clearwater. I'd get to the rez that much faster."

I offered a sheepish grin. "Sorry, Leland Whistler. But I do know a guy who's a great mechanic. He's rebuilt engines and that sort of thing. How about I call and see if I can reach him?"

Without waiting for an answer, I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and hit the speed dial for Jake's cell. Holding my phone to my ear, I begged silently that he would pick up. _Please, please, please be there_…

Jacob picked up on the third ring. "Yo, Leah! What's up? You that excited we're back in town? Emmett and the Blonde Psycho already told us they saw you at the grocery store."

Excited hardly described it. "Uh, Jake, I have a lot to tell you, but right now, I just could really use your help. I've uh … met someone here on the road between Forks and the reservation. He's having car trouble, and could use your expertise."

"Dude, what are you doing stopping on the side of the road talking to strangers? Didn't Sue and Harry teach you better than that?" Jacob joked.

Good grief, I thought. How in the world do I get him to come down here without telling Leland that the world had supernatural creatures like vampires and shapeshifting wolf men in it? I knew that, as my bondmate, he would be allowed to know, but geez, I had to get to know him before scaring the crap out of him.

I glanced at Leland's car, and was inspired. "Jake, it's a classic," I said, dodging his attempt at humor. "Leland is driving a … what is it?"

I held the phone out so Leland's voice would be picked up by the microphone. "1956 Ford Thunderbird," he said.

I heard Jacob whistle as I put the phone back to my ear. "I take it you heard that," I said.

"Man, that is a classic," Jacob replied. "But why are you calling me? There have to be other mechanics in town, Leah."

I held up a finger to Leland indicating I needed a moment. He nodded and went back to the car, bending over the engine once again. I tried not to stare, and tried vainly to ignore the sudden burst of lust that shot through my veins.

Stepping a little further back toward my car, I said in a low voice I knew Jacob would catch but Leland probably wouldn't hear, "Jake, I need you. He's … Leland is important-_very_ important-to me."

I could only hope that the phone carried the emphasis of my words and that Jacob understood. I heard nothing but silence for a full ten seconds, and then he was shouting in my ear.

"Are you kidding me?" he exclaimed excitedly, causing me to hold the phone away from me. When I brought it back, he was whooping on the other end. "Leah, you have no idea how happy I am for you-how fantastic this is! Then again, maybe you do. Probably better than me."

"Does that mean you'll come help him fix his car?" I asked, and I could feel my smile returning upon hearing Jacob's enthusiasm.

"I'm already heading out the door. I'll be there as soon as I can."

I nodded even though he obviously couldn't see me. "Thanks, Jake. And if you would, keep it to yourself about the … you know. At least until I've had time to get used to it."

"Your news, babe, not mine. And listen, I really am happy for you," Jacob said. "You deserve to be happy."

_Yeah,_ I thought, feeling beyond thankful that I had managed to convince him to help. I described our location and hung up a moment later. Walking over to Leland I said, "My buddy Jake is coming to help you. He's the best mechanic I know."

Leland grinned. "I'd like to change your mind about that, but for the life of me, I don't know what's wrong," he said, straightening and nodding at his engine.

"Well, once Jacob gets here, I'm sure the two of you will figure it out in no time," I returned.

He looked at me appraisingly. "No doubt," he said. "But what do _we_ do while we wait, you and I?"

"Another one of your lines, there, stud?"

Leland laughed. "Nah," he told me. "Just that I wasn't expecting to be saved by a pretty girl. A guy's gotta be subtle when he's fishing for information."

I raised both eyebrows then. "Oh, really? Not too subtle if you ask me, but do tell what information you're fishing for. Maybe I'll tell you."

"Are you seeing anyone, Leah Clearwater?"

My mouth turned up in a grin. "Not yet, Leland Whistler. Not yet."


	4. Chapter 3

**3. Sins of the Fathers**

Jacob showed up about ten minutes after I had hung up, pulling up behind Leland's Thunderbird in Edward Cullen's dark silver Volvo. In that time, Leland and I had joked and laughed, enjoying a little flirting and the start of our new friendship.

Jake threw me a huge grin as he got out of the car and walked toward us. He whistled in appreciation at the pristine condition of Leland's car, and if Leland took note of just how big Jake was, he didn't let on. Even I had to note that Jacob Black was one _really_ big guy, both excessively tall and muscular. Maybe my new bondmate would worry about competition, and the thought nearly made me laugh. I'd never in all the years I'd known him thought of Jacob that way. For one thing, he was younger by four years. The first several months after I'd turned weren't pleasant to remember for any of the wolves who'd experienced it, and Jacob had on more than one occasion called me a harpy.

It was a name I had deserved, I realized in retrospect. I was intolerable even by my own standards, but at the time I had been too blinded by my emotional pain to care. After Jake had embraced his Alpha heritage and broken off from the original pack, followed by Seth, I had gone along and practically begged him to let me in, too. As we could hear each other and not the other wolves, I had already made the decision to join him, but if he had used the double-timbered Alpha voice, the one that demanded obedience to every command, and ordered me back to Sam's pack, I'd have had no choice. Neither Jacob nor Seth had wanted me around, but having another wolf on his side to keep Bella safe had weighed in my favor. Joining the new pack had been a blessing for me, breaking my final tie with Sam, and I gave Jacob my word that my loyalty was his … and that I'd do my best to be less annoying than Paul.

We came to an understanding, Jacob and I. I don't know that we could have called ourselves friends in the beginning, but we have definitely become friends over the years. I became his Beta after he imprinted, pretty much running our tiny pack whenever he was with the Cullens. And even though he had left town and I wasn't phasing anymore, he'd said the job was still mine. It was a nice thought, to still be considered part of the team even though I was, in essence, retiring.

But no, Jacob was no competition for Leland. All the boys had said that, once they had imprinted, they just didn't see other girls that way. It was like they couldn't even see their faces. I knew then that I would be the same. That the faces of men would all be generic to me, that none would ever compare to Leland. And while I might be able to honestly say that Jacob was attractive, there was simply no way I could ever feel that way about him. Both of us having imprinted aside, he was more like another younger brother than anything.

He was family.

Jake came up to us at the front end of the car. He handed me a folded piece of paper as he introduced himself to Leland. "Jacob Black," he said, offering his hand.

Leland returned the greeting, giving Jacob his name - if Jake recognized the Whistler connection like I had, he didn't give any indication of it - and the two began discussing whatever was wrong with the Thunderbird, effectively dismissing me. I stepped back then and opened the piece of paper Jacob had given me.

_Edward knows - he heard it in my thoughts. Sorry, but I didn't clamp down on my excitement fast enough, and he said I was "shouting" in my head. But he said he was happy for you and gave his word he wouldn't tell anyone._

I stifled a groan. Just what I had always wanted - a bloodsucker being happy for me. Shoving the note in a pocket, I walked up behind the two boys, saying, "Diagnosed the problem yet, doctors?"

Leland chuckled as he and Jacob continued to work. "Not yet, Nurse Nightingale. But getting close, I think."

"Actually, looks like a bad spark plug to me - that one there," Jacob said, pointing to something I couldn't see. "Easy to fix - we can even trade it out here, if you have one on hand."

Both men straightened, and Leland gathered the few tools they'd been using. "Unfortunately, no," Leland replied. "Obviously wasn't expecting to need new ones any time soon."

"No prob. Forks has a decent auto parts store. If we can't get one for this baby there, can always check in Port Angeles," Jake told him. "And dude, I gotta ask, where did you get this sweet car?"

Leland grinned. "It belonged to my grandfather. He left it to my mother when he died, and she gave it to me when I turned sixteen."

"Well, I can tell it's been receiving a lot of TLC. Would be a shame if it wasn't," Jacob said.

"That would definitely be my doing," Leland told him. "Had to rebuild the engine before I could even drive it. Apparently, Granddad had let it sit for a long time. Most everything is original, except for some of the engine parts and the paint job, though I tried to stick as close as I could to the original color. It was a flat black, but I thought metallic would look better."

"Even got white-walled tires. Way to go classic, man."

I stood watching them talk cars, lost in the topic but indescribably pleased that my Alpha and my imprint were getting along so well. I could just imagine that the same would be true of him and Seth, and that all three would talk about cars endlessly.

"Hey, guys," I spoke up. "I really should be getting home - I've got frozen and dairy in the car."

Leland looked at me. "Am I going to see you around the reservation?" he asked.

I ignored Jacob's knowing look, choosing instead to smile at Leland and nod. "Yes, Leland. I'm sure you will."

"All my friends call me Lee."

I grinned again. "So we're friends now?" I heard myself say, knowing even though he did not that we were far more than that.

"I certainly hope so. Making friends with a beautiful woman is also a sure sign that coming here was the right thing to do," Leland replied.

Jake and I did exchange a look then, both of us curious but not rude enough to ask. It was possible, since Leland apparently wished to see me again, that I might learn what the cryptic comment meant.

"Say, you guys know this area pretty well I assume. Will my car be safe here if I bum a ride off of Jacob and go to this auto parts store?" Leland went on. "That is, if you don't mind."

I could see from the look on Jacob's face that he wanted to get back to the Cullens and Renesmee. I sent him my most pleading look - I wanted to keep track of Leland until I figured out what to do about him. Obviously, with his being my bondmate, to use Cailin's term, I didn't want to be away from him for even a moment, the same as Jake hated having to spend time away from Nessie. But at the moment, it didn't appear that I had much choice.

I also wanted to make sure Leland was safe. I knew that the Cullens would never do anything to him, and that the vampire activity in Forks was virtually non-existent since they'd moved across the country. But the thought of having to leave him had pierced me with a sudden and inexplicable sense of fear. I recognized it almost immediately as the natural instinct of my wolf-self to protect what was mine, even though there were no obvious dangers to confront. I knew there was no reason to fear departing from him for an hour or so, but I already hated the thought of it. Was this what it had been like for them? For all the boys who had developed a pair bond (another term I'd heard Cailin McTiernan use during the dragon-wolf debate), had they been this aggrieved at leaving the one on whom they had imprinted that first time? How on earth did they stand it?

Boy, did I have a lot to get used to.

"No, it's cool," Jacob said, then suddenly his face split into a mischievous grin. "I'd probably never hear the end of it from Leah here if I made you walk to Forks and back."

I narrowed my eyes, wishing I could punch him for that one. I didn't need Jacob Black's help, thank you very much. Now that a miracle had occurred, I could and would muddle through this on my own. Well, on my own and after a long talk with my mother.

"Your car will be fine, Leland. Lee," I amended. "It's a pretty small town here where everyone knows pretty much everyone, but just the same, I'd put the top up and lock it to be safe."

"Good idea," he said, walking around the front end to put the tools in the passenger seat while Jacob lowered the hood for him.

Jacob spoke to me in a low voice, saying quickly, "Seems like an alright guy. Better be if he expects to be good enough for you."

He moved then to help Leland lift the car's top from the trunk and put it into position. I watched them, feeling touched that Jacob would say something like that, after all I had done. It amazed me that this had happened at all after how horrible I had been in the beginning, and to me, my imprinting at all truly was a miracle. I looked up at the sky then, and though I had never been particularly religious, I said a silent prayer of thanks that God had chosen to bless me with a happiness I didn't know if I deserved. I vowed that I would never do anything to make Him regret the decision.

After they had locked the Thunderbird's fiberglass top into place and Leland had locked the doors, both men came up to me once again. Jacob gave me a quick hug. "See you soon, Beta," he whispered in my ear. "Ready to go, Leland?"

Leland nodded. "Just a second," he said, then to me added, "Thanks for your help, Leah. You might not know much about cars, but you sure know mechanics. Can't believe I missed the bad spark plug."

"Great," I said with mock horror. "Now you and Jake will become best friends, and I'll never get rid of you."

Leland laughed. "Even if we don't, I bet you have a hard time getting rid of me. I'm an unforgettable kind of guy."

Jacob rolled his eyes and I laughed. "Come on, dude," Jake said, heading back toward the Volvo.

Leland offered me another smile, then followed behind Jacob. I watched until both men had climbed into the car; Jacob backed up a ways, pulled out onto the road in a U-turn, and headed back into Forks.

It occurred to me then that leaving Leland alone with Jacob might be bad idea. There was no telling what horrible things my Alpha might say about me. With a groan and a longing for Leland I'd never expected to feel for anyone, I walked back to my car and headed home.

* * *

><p>Once back at home, I quickly unloaded the car and put all the groceries away. Even though I worried what sort of stories Jacob might tell Leland about me, I knew that all the while I was wearing a smile. This had certainly turned out to be one heck of a day - I'd driven into La Push worried about whether or not I could handle being around all the wolves for more than two months without wanting to phase, whether or not I could handle being around all the couples without wanting to run for the hills to get away from the reminder that I was still alone.<p>

But none of it had even been necessary, it turned out. All that worrying, and today was the day that my whole future had changed, the day that I finally met _my_ soul mate. It even occurred to me that, if I really wanted to, I could go back to phasing for a while. After all, if Leland and I were soul mates, if he was the one man who was absolutely perfect for me, surely that meant we'd be able to have children someday … didn't it?

Perhaps, I conceded to myself, but I wasn't going to take any chances. Plus, not that his age mattered to me, but I had the feeling Leland was closer to thirty than I was. Though a man could certainly have a child at any time after puberty, and these days, men were waiting longer to have children - I had devised from various news sources that the average age of first-time fathers in this country was like, 34 - I was only able to have them when I wasn't phasing. If I started phasing again, I'd have to start my retirement plan all over again, and I figured most people would want to have kids while they were still young enough to enjoy them. So, if things worked out with Leland the way Elders like Sam thought they were meant to, then sometime within the next five years or so, Leland and I would be starting a family.

I laughed a giddy, girly laugh at the thought. Here I had barely met the guy and already I was thinking about us having kids together. Common sense said I should get to know him before planning our whole future out. It might turn out that he was the one imprint who decided he just wanted to be friends, although his behavior certainly indicated otherwise. There was also the fact that he was apparently just here for a visit; he hadn't even been sure Old Ray was still alive, so I could only assume that he'd come to settle some kind of family business. Truth was I didn't really know anything about Leland except for his name and the fact that he was Old Ray's grandson, and that his mother _might_ have been a distant cousin of Sam's. I'd have to ask my mother, or Leland himself, about the possible connection to the Uley family.

My reverie was broken by a knock at the door. I jumped, then chided myself for being skittish and headed into the living room. To my surprise, a fully clothed Embry Call stood on the other side of the screen door. I frowned in consternation as I approached.

"Hey, Embry. Nice to see you again so soon," I said, opening the screen door so he could come inside. "Seth's not here, though you probably know that already."

He nodded. "I know, he's out running patrols," the younger boy said absently.

Okay, his distraction had me a little concerned. He was looking around as if he was nervous, and that wasn't like him.

"Embry, you okay?" I asked.

Embry looked at me. "This is … this is kind of awkward. I just wasn't sure who to talk to about it."

"About what?"

He sighed, placing his hands on his hips as he looked at me. "Usually it doesn't bother me, not knowing for certain who my dad is. Knowing I'm Quileute, belonging to this tribe and to my pack, that's always been enough for me. But today, all of a sudden…"

He shook his head, glancing through the screen door at the porch. "This morning when we were talking, and Cailin brought it up, I realized that one day she could very well become a part of my family … and that I don't even really know who my family is. I know my mom's folks and all, sure, but I got nothing from my dad's side of the family except some freaky genes. I don't know who my dad is, who his parents were, whether or not I have any brothers or sisters. What kind of family is that for Cailin?"

The imploring expression he wore cut at me, and I really felt for him, even though I couldn't for the life of me fathom why he had come to me to have this conversation. Wouldn't it have been better to go to Sam, whom we all figured was his half-brother, or even his mom? Or was Tiffany Call seriously not going to tell her own son who'd sired him? It was obviously bothering him a great deal now, the not knowing, though he'd never shown that it did before.

Embry chuckled mirthlessly. "I can see you're seriously confused."

I offered half a smile. "Sort of. I mean, I get that you want to know who you come from so that you can give your imprint a more thorough family history, if that's what you're wanting to do, but I admit to being at a loss as to why you'd come to me about it."

"Well, I already talked to Seth in private a little while ago. He thinks Dr. Fang would help us out," Embry said.

I blinked. He wanted to talk to Dr. Cullen about something?

"Uh, obviously Seth would know that better than I would. Or you could call Jacob, they're in town already," I told him. Of course, having thought of Jacob, I thought of who he was with, and I could feel the slap-happy smile coming back to me, sending that full-of-giddy-joy feeling surging through my blood.

Embry raised his eyebrows. "That seems to be making you a lot happier than it should," he commented warily.

I had to laugh. "I'm sure you'll hear about it soon enough, but in the meantime, what is it that you think Dr. Fang would help out with? And who's the 'us' you were talking about, anyway?"

He looked nervous now. "Uh, getting one of those DNA tests, hopefully cheap or free. And the 'us' would be me and Sam."

My eyebrows winged up. So they were finally going through with it? They were, after all this time, going to find out once and for all if Joshua Uley had had an affair with Embry's mother? Then again, if they did this and it turned it Embry wasn't Sam's brother… No, I wasn't even going to go there. Not knowing was hard enough on everyone as it was. Best to hope that the one person everyone wanted to be Embry's dad _was_ his dad, even if it meant confirming that Sam's had been an adulterer. Better it was Joshua Uley, with his bad reputation, than the other candidates, all of whom had presumably happy marriages.

My own father among them, may he rest in peace.

I had to ask one question. "Why not just ask your mother?" I queried softly.

Embry shrugged. "My mom's never talked about it, really. I figure she ain't too proud of herself for having been with a married man, and I don't really want to make too big an issue of it and make her feel uncomfortable. We all want it to be Sam's dad because everyone else it could be is so respected that it wouldn't make any sense for them to have stepped out on their wives. It's not even really that big a deal to me anymore, 'cause my mom did just fine with me on her own. I just want to know, you know, so I can tell my kids someday where they come from."

I nodded. "What does Sam think about your wanting to ask Dr. Cullen for help?"

Now he looked sheepish. "I haven't actually spoken to Sam yet," he told me. "That's why I came to you. I mean, in spite of everything that happened with you guys, and I'm sorry if that hurts to say that, I really am, but in spite of all that, you're one of the people that knows Sam best. I was wondering if you think he'd be open to finding out."

I sighed. "To be honest, Embry … I don't know," I said. "I know he already thinks of you as a brother, even though you did defect."

He grinned a lopsided grin. "I always was closer to Jake than Sam anyway," he said.

I grinned as well, then sobered. "But you're right, I know Sam pretty well. He's no more proud of his father's checkered past than your mother might be for having had an affair with a married man-if that's what she did. But I also know that Sam has, on occasion, envied the closeness of a sibling bond, like the one I have with Seth or that Jacob has with Rachel and Rebecca. I think he would like to be able to call you his brother and be able to mean it in the truest sense, and I know he'd be proud to do so. But he also might be a little scared to find out because he wouldn't want to be disappointed if it turns out you're not."

Embry nodded. "I don't want to be disappointed, either. And as much fun as it would be to have Jake for a brother or even you for a sister … Sam's not a bad guy. I'd be proud to call him brother, too."

I smiled again. "Then when you go to him, tell him that. You tell Sam you want it to be him for more reasons than not wanting to upset someone's family. And mean it when you say it."

He drew in a breath and nodded. Looking at me with what might have been renewed respect, Embry said, "I will mean it. Thanks, Leah. Sorry if this was awkward for you."

Strange as it was, I didn't mind at all that Embry had come to me. It had become so much easier over the last couple of years to talk to or about Sam and not feel a sharp stinging pain in my chest. Now, having imprinted myself, I realized that while Sam would always have a place in my heart, whatever I had felt for him had been relegated to distant memory. I wasn't going to be pining for something I couldn't have anymore, and that was more relief than I could put words to.

"Not awkward at all," I said. "Now go and find Sam, before you change your mind, huh?"

Embry laughed. "Guess I better do that. See you, Leah, and thanks again."

I sighed a little, thinking once again that this day had certainly turned out to be far better than I could have expected. So many changes in so short a time, I couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen next.

The phone rang then, and even though I knew Jacob would likely call my cell first, I ran for it hoping he was calling to tell me Leland was on his way to the reservation. When I picked up, I heard my mother's voice on the other end, and hoped my own didn't convey any of my disappointment.

"No, Mom, I have not killed Seth yet," I joked by way of greeting.

Mom laughed. "I should hope not," she said. "Did you find everything on the grocery list?"

"Yup," I said. "Got it all, and your bank card is in the top drawer of your desk, where I always put it."

"Thank you, Leah. I hated asking you to do that when you'd just gotten home."

"It was no problem," I told her again, and Leland flashed into my thoughts. I knew if she were home right now instead of at the hospital, she'd be asking me about the goofy smile on my face. I'd tell her, of course, I'd tell her everything. I wanted to do that now, but she was probably just on a break and I didn't want to take up all of her time. Still, I was curious enough about one thing to ask…

"Mom, do you remember that story you told me once about Old Ray's son running away with a girl?"

I imagined my mother was frowning with curiosity. "Of course I remember. It was the talk of the reservation for weeks after the two of them ran away, because Old Ray and her parents were so against their relationship, and Ray Sr. was a tribal Elder. He still is, of course, because he's a carrier of the wolf gene, and his father was in Ephraim's pack."

I'd been close. Not _in_ Ephraim's pack, but the son of one of his wolves.

"Why do you ask, honey?" my mother was saying.

"Well, I sorta met his grandson on the way home," I said. "Little Ray had a son, and he's here in town."

Did I tell her now? Oh, how I wanted my mother to know that I'd gotten my miracle.

"Wow," Mom said with surprise. "I always wondered what happened to them. I was friends with Anita Raven while they were here. Would have liked to stay in contact, but you know how these things can turn out."

"They stayed with distant relatives, didn't they? Wasn't it the Uleys?"

"As a matter of fact, it was - Joshua and his parents. Anita told me that Levi Uley's wife was her grandfather's cousin. That made Anita Levi's cousin by marriage, and she would be Sam's … third cousin? I've never been quite sure how that works. To me a cousin is a cousin."

"That is too freaky," I breathed.

"Why is it freaky, Leah? And why are you asking all these questions?" my mother queried.

_Well, here I go_, I thought. "Because that means the man I imprinted on less than two hours ago is related to my ex-boyfriend."

"Oh. My. Goodness," said my mother in a hushed whisper. "I don't mean to sound doubtful, as I know how you feel about imprinting, darling, but are you certain?"

"I am, Mama," I said, wondering if my voice could possibly convey the depth of my emotion over the phone line. "It was like all the boys said - one look into his eyes and I just … knew. It was the most incredible feeling, like ultimate joy and peace all wrapped up into one. Every time he looked at me or smiled at me… Oh, Mom, it was just so unbelievably incredible. I'm so happy I can't even tell you how happy I am."

My mother laughed. "Like you, sweetheart, I wondered if somehow you were different from the boys, in that it might not happen for you."

"I know, I was scared of that too," I told her.

"I can't tell you how relieved I am that it has," Mom went on. "I'm so happy for you. How did you meet him? What's his name?"

I laughed a little myself. "Leland, and his car was broke down on the road from Forks. He should be coming to the reservation soon. I called Jacob to ask him to help fix the car, and they went into Forks to get a spark plug."

"Did you tell Jacob?"

"Not directly, but I hinted at it and he guessed. Probably the only reason he left the leeches' nest to help us out," I replied.

I had the strangest thought then, and even though I had taken up so much of her break already, I had to ask. "Mom, don't you think it's a little strange that Sam pair-bonded with my cousin and I've pair-bonded with his?"

She thought about that for a moment, then said, "You know what? Not really. I've just considered that there may be something to the genetics side of imprinting, and Sam's theory that you bond with the person you have the best chance of reproducing with. Following that train of thought, seeing as you each imprinted on a member of the other's family that could not be traced to your own-what with our own connection to the Uleys-it could be that you were attracted to each other due to the genetic link to that relative. Do you see what I mean?"

I huffed. "That sounds more mystical than genetic if you ask me, but I think I get it. Are you saying that Sam was only attracted me because on some metaphysical level he was attracted to the DNA I share with Emily? And that I was only attracted to him because of the genes he shares with Leland?"

"Oh, honey, it's only a theory that occurred to me just now. Please don't misunderstand - it doesn't take away from the love that you and Sam used to share, doesn't make it any less real, or special. It's just … oh, how do I say this?"

I sighed. "Proof that he and I were never meant to be?" I suggested.

I heard Mom sigh as well. "I suppose you could look at it that way. And remember, honey, it's just a hair-brained theory that occurred to me hardly more than a minute ago."

"Don't worry, Mom, I'm not upset with you. I can see where that theory makes an odd kind of sense," I said. "Anyway, I'm glad you called, because I was bursting with wanting to tell you. I sure hope that Leland comes to the rez soon, I'm dying to see him again."

Mom chuckled. "I'll just bet you are, honey. I should go myself, my break's already over."

"I didn't mean to keep you," I said.

"It's okay, it's been rather slow today, thank goodness. If I was needed, they would have paged. You have any other questions for me?"

I pondered that for a second and then said, "Actually, yes. Can you tell me - I mean, if you know - why it was that Old Ray and the Ravens disapproved of Anita and Little Ray being together? Surely not just because the Ravens were only going to be here for the summer?"

"No, honey, it wasn't that. In fact, Chester Raven and Old Ray respected each other very much, both of them being Elders of their tribes. To be honest, I'm not entirely certain why they didn't want them to be together. Anita only said it had something to do with old superstitions," Mom explained.

"Was it really that big a deal that Anita and Little Ray got together? I can't imagine their being from two different First Nations tribes having anything to do with it either, considering all the intertribal marriage that goes on."

"No, I don't think it was that either," she agreed. "I only know that after they ran away, Old Ray hasn't mentioned his son once. Little Ray's defiance of his father's wishes was apparently a very big deal to him."

My mother was silent for another moment. "Anita said her father told her that a raven could not marry a wolf," she said suddenly. "At the time, of course, I had no idea what that meant, but now… Now I wonder if the Haida have their own spirit warrior or other shapeshifter history. Maybe their animal form is some kind of bird - a raven, even."

"Do you really think that's possible?" I asked.

"Why not? Until three years ago, you and I both believed that vampires and spirit warriors, and men and women who became wolves, were just the stuff of stories and legends. Who's to say there aren't other kinds of shapeshifters out there?"

"Okay," I conceded, not even sure I could wrap my mind around such a mind-boggling concept. "But then that doesn't explain why Anita's grandfather's cousin could marry Levi Uley, but she wasn't allowed to be with Little Ray."

I pictured my mother shrugging. "I don't understand it either, honey. I can only guess that perhaps they believed the aunt who married Levi was not a carrier of the shapeshifting gene, if indeed they even had one."

"And supposedly Anita was a carrier, because she'd been born to a man? Still doesn't make sense, because obviously Levi's wife had a father too."

"I know. I daresay that only Levi Uley would be able to answer that question, or the woman he married. But neither of them are alive to ask."

I was about to ask whether or not she thought Old Ray would know the answer when I heard hear name being paged over the hospital's PA system.

"Well, you know what that means," Mom said.

I chuckled. "Yeah, you've been summoned. I really am sorry to have kept you, Mom. Hope you don't get in any trouble 'cause of me."

"Don't worry about it," she said, dismissing my concern. "If anyone asks, I'll tell them I was dealing with a family matter, which really isn't too far from the truth. Anyway, you go on and find out if your Leland has made it to the reservation alright. I can't wait to hear all about him when I get home."

I smiled again just thinking about him. "You bet, Mom. See you later."


	5. Chapter 4

**4. To Err is Human, To Forgive Divine**

After hanging up the phone, I flitted around the house moving from room to room, my mind wandering between marvel at my good fortune, looking forward to getting to know Leland and whether or not we would follow the same path the other age-related couples had, to wondering what in the hell was keeping him and Jacob. Surely they had been to the auto parts store and made it back to the Thunderbird by now, hadn't they? Why hadn't Jacob called me? What, besides cars, were the two men talking about?

I had worried myself into such a knot of nerves that I was on the verge of getting in my car and going back to where I had met Leland when my cell phone rang. Relief and anger both washed through me when I saw that it was Jacob.

Flipping open the phone, I growled, "It's about damn time!"

Jacob laughed. "Dial down the heat, Leah. Everything's cool," he said. "We got the spark plug and changed it out without a problem. I'm on my way back to the Cullens' place and Leland is on his way to the reservation as we speak."

More relief flooded my nervous system, and I fell into a chair. "Is it always like this?" I found myself asking. "The absolute dread that something's going to happen while you're not there to protect them, even when you know they're perfectly safe?"

"Good to know you still trust me," Jacob chided, trying to help me feel better, I was sure, so I didn't get angry. "And yeah, it'll be like that for a while. Maybe all the time, depends on how you look at it."

"What in the world does that mean?"

"Well, first you gotta accept that you're not going to be able to be with him 24/7," he began, "even though you're gonna want to be. It sucks, but that's the way it is. And at least in your case, I don't think you have to worry so much about his safety. Leland's a big guy in his own right, over six feet and muscular. He's in construction, so I know he's strong, and that tells me he'd be able to hold his own in a fight."

"Not against a leech, though, Jake," I pointed out.

I heard him chuckle, though it was without humor. "That's where you come in. And since you're retiring, you trade off protecting him to your brothers. So you've gotta tell them that you've imprinted. They won't hesitate, just the way they don't when it comes to their own mates. It's just a matter of whether or not you can trust them with his life."

I trusted every single wolf with the lives of my mother and my brother every single day. But already I knew that Leland was a different matter. While Mom and Seth would always be two of the most important people in my life, they were no longer _the_ most important. Leland had that category all to himself.

I sighed. "You know that I trust them," I said at last. "And of course I trust you. It's just … I wanted this. You know I did, because I knew that it would be the final key to being myself again. Really being myself, you know?"

"I know," Jacob replied quietly.

"I just didn't pay any attention to what the rest of you had gone through, at least those of you that imprinted after I'd become a wolf," I said. "I had no idea what to expect because I was honestly beginning to think it was never going to happen for me."

"Guess you're not a genetic dead end after all, huh?"

I thought briefly about the conversation I'd had with Mom a little while ago. "No, I guess not," I conceded.

"Look, I won't lie to you-you're gonna be riding an emotional roller coaster these first few weeks, kinda like you did when you first changed. It's all a matter of getting a hold of yourself, controlling the emotions so they don't control you. It's never gonna make the desire to be near him all the time go away, but at least you'll be able to manage it," Jacob told me.

I let that sink in for a moment, knowing he was right. "Thanks, Jacob. When the heck did you get so wise?"

He laughed fully. "I don't know about wise, Leah. I've just been where you are."

Sighing again, I asked him, "So what did you guys talk about - or do I really want to know?"

Jacob laughed again. "I didn't tell him any horror stories, I promise. We mostly talked about cars. He said cars and carpentry were his passions. Oh, and he asked a lot of questions about you, actually."

My brows drew together. "What kinds of questions?"

"He wanted to know how we knew each other. I think he was making sure I wasn't your boyfriend-so at least you ain't gotta worry about whether or not he likes you."

"Thank you," I said sourly. "What else?"

"Just general questions. Wanted to know about your likes and dislikes, your personality…"

I dropped my head into my free hand. "Oh, no," I groaned.

Jacob must've been enjoying my abject misery, because he laughed yet again. "I told you, I didn't tell him any horror stories," he reassured me. "I said your dad died a few years ago and you went through a rough patch where you were mad at the world, but that's as close as I came to it, I swear."

"Jacob!" I hollered into the phone.

"And then," he went on, acting like I hadn't spoken, "I told him that you've worked out your problems and you're in a really good place right now. Told him how you've been to a community college and was working on getting a degree so you could make something of yourself. He seemed impressed by that."

"Anything else?" I asked warily.

"Lemme see… He asked where you lived on the rez so he could stop by sometime, so I told him that. Had to give him directions to Old Man Whistler's place, too, since he's never been here before. Seriously, Leah, I don't think you have anything to worry about. This guy definitely has the hots for you."

"But he's not from around here," I said. "He told me he grew up in South Dakota. What do I do about that?"

"So he moves here or you move there. What's the big deal where you live, as long as you're together?"

I thought of how Jacob had uprooted himself from the only home he had ever known and moved clear across the country, all because he needed to be near Renesmee. "You have a point," I admitted.

"Of course I do. So listen to your Alpha and stop being such a worrywart," Jacob told me.

"Yes, sir, Oh Most High Alpha," I retorted.

"Well, I just pulled into the Cullens' garage. I'll see you again soon, 'kay?"

I smiled in spite of the fact that he couldn't see me. "Sure thing, Jake. And thank you, seriously, for everything. It means a lot to me that you're being so understanding."

"Anything for a sister, Leah. Catch ya later."

"Later," I said, and pressed the End button. I slipped the phone back in my pocket and stood, grabbing my keys and locking the door behind me as I walked out of the house. I wasn't as anxious as I had been a while ago, thanks to my talk with Jacob, and so my walk down the road was rather leisurely. I aimed for the direction of First Beach, remembering that the Whistler cottage was off of First Beach Road. I hoped that I would run into Leland there, figuring he would want to see his grandfather first.

I hadn't been walking long when I heard a car behind me. The driver honked and I turned, feeling my smile spread when I saw that it was Leland. He had the top down again, and pulled up beside me.

"I see the Thunderbird is all fixed up," I said.

Leland grinned. "Yep, got her running again in no time, thanks to your buddy Jake," he said.

I nodded. "He called," I told him. "Going to see your grandfather now?"

He nodded, then looked down the road ahead of him and sighed. "I'm kinda nervous about it, though," he said. "My dad hadn't spoken to him since he left here back in like, '79. Dad tried writing in the first couple years but he got no answers, so I can only assume Grandfather never got over being disobeyed."

Leland looked at me. "Maybe you heard about it. My mom and her folks were down from Alaska, where they were from - she was Haida - because her dad was a contractor, and he got put in charge of building this hotel in La Push."

I nodded. "My mother told me the story. She was friends with your mom that summer."

He smiled. "So the Sue I heard all about is your mom?"

Grinning, I nodded again. "That's my mom, alright."

"Then we were definitely supposed to meet, you and me," Leland decided.

He cleared his throat as he looked down the road again. "Say, you wouldn't change your opinion of me as a handsome, strapping lad if I asked you if you'd mind coming along, would you?"

I tried to stifle the giggle that bubbled up. He was still flirting with me, which was a good sign. And of course I was not about to turn down the opportunity to spend more time in his company.

"I mean, you and Jake both mentioned that my grandfather's a tribal Elder, so you actually know him better than I do," he added.

"Yes, my opinion has changed," I said, trying to keep my face straight. "You're a complete coward."

I watched his face fall before I grinned. "Good thing I happen not to care. Though I must say, I do prefer the handsome, strapping lad."

Leland laughed as he reached over and opened the passenger door for me. I climbed in and settled into the seat as he said, "Guess I got some work ahead of me to get back my good reputation."

I stifled a laugh as the car started forward again. "I'm afraid it might take you all summer, maybe longer," I said nonchalantly, pretending to examine my fingernails. My words were both a joke and a fishing expedition. I wanted to make him laugh, and I wanted to see if he might tell me what his plans were.

Leland chuckled. "Hey, whatever it takes, so long as I at least get near the top of your list of potential dates - oh, man! Was that obvious or what? You just met me."

I laughed. "Obvious can be good sometimes, so long as you intend to follow through," I told him. Looking over, I added, "Seriously, though, I know we just met, but…"

Now it was time for me to get nervous again. I looked down at my hands as I finished, "Well, you seem like a really nice guy, and it's been a long time since I've wanted to get to know somebody the way I'd like to get to know you. It is crazy, of course, since you'll probably be leaving as soon as you do what you came here to do."

I was surprised when Leland reached over and took my left hand, gently squeezing until I looked at him. "Hey, I know it's crazy, but I feel it too."

I raised an eyebrow. "Feel what?" I asked, because surely he hadn't felt the imprinting. As far as I knew, the person on whom a wolf imprinted didn't feel anything at the time of the incident.

He shrugged, guiding the car with one hand while he held mine in the other. "The drive to get to know a perfect stranger. Besides, isn't that how it always starts? Getting to know a stranger?"

"I guess so."

"As for my leaving," Leland went on, "truth is, it will depend on my grandfather. If he's open to it, I'd like to bring Shalayne down here for the summer, to get to know him and our father's people."

"Shalayne is your sister?"

Leland nodded. "She's seventeen, and I'm constantly having to pull the big brother card on all her dates."

I laughed. "Seth, my brother, is almost eighteen himself. Girls like him, but he already says he's waiting for 'the one.'"

"Ain't he a bit young to be worrying about that sort of thing? Guys his age usually like to play the field a little."

I thought of the reason Seth was waiting for 'the one.' I didn't think I could explain it to Leland just yet, so I settled for a partial truth.

"Well, I think it's because he sees so many of our young men settling down," I said. "He sees how happy they are, and he wants that for himself."

He thought about that for a moment, then nodded. "I can understand that. So where do I turn now?"

I looked and noticed we were approaching First Beach Road. "Turn left. Old Ray's place is off a dirt track at the end of the road that goes into the woods."

We fell into silence as he turned and it suddenly occurred to me that the semi-isolated location of Old Ray's house was ideal from a shapeshifter standpoint. His father could have phased between forms in complete privacy back there, away from the road where people might catch sight of him. I also wondered how I hadn't known before that Old Ray's father had been in Ephraim's pack. I don't think any of the wolves knew that, at least I didn't think anyone knew. I thought only Ephraim Black, Levi Uley, and Quil Ateara II had been in that pack.

Leland released my hand as we turned onto the dirt track that led into the woods. Already I missed the closeness of the contact, and was longing for the moment when it would happen again. We'd stopped in front of the old, somewhat ramshackle house before he spoke again.

"Just looking at this place," he said slowly, "makes me sad. It could use a lot of work."

He sighed as he got out of the car. I followed silently, walking behind him as he walked up to and onto the porch. He raised his hand to knock on the screen door, hesitating only briefly before giving it three sharp raps.

At first we heard nothing, then shuffling sounds came from the other side of the closed door. Locks clicked, two of them, before the inner door opened to reveal a wrinkled old man, his once impressive stature bent over the cane he used to help him walk. His snow-white hair was restrained in two long braids on either side of his wizened face. He might have been old, but I could see that Raymond Whistler Sr.'s eyes were as bright as ever.

"What do you want, Miss Clearwater?"

I was behind Leland, but stepped forward as he had chosen to address me. "Uh, Mr. Whistler, this is Leland. He's … he's your grandson."

Old Ray looked up, studied Leland's face for a long moment. "Well, don't you look just like your father," he said.

"So I'm told, sir," Leland answered. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Is that so? Well, whatever you came here for, young man, you've wasted your time. Tell your father it's too little, too late."

With that, he shut the door in our faces.

Leland stared blankly at the door as the locks clicked back into place and Old Ray shuffled back into the house.

I reached over hesitantly and put my hand on his shoulder. Leland reached up and placed his left hand over mine, then turned abruptly and walked off the porch. I followed in silence as he walked past his car, his hands shoved into his pockets, striding swiftly down the dirt track.

"I can't believe he just … dismissed me like that," he said after a moment. "I mean, for goodness' sake, it's been thirty years! How can he still hate my father so much? I didn't even get the chance to tell him my parents are dead."

I faltered in my stride, but kept walking with him. "Leland, I'm so sorry," I said softly.

He glanced over at me briefly. "Thank you," he said. "Actually, it's part of the reason I'm here. My parents died in a car accident two weeks ago. My father's last request was that they be cremated and their ashes spread in the three places that meant the most to them. I've already spread one third at the base of the tree in front of their house on the Lakota rez, and another at the house my mother grew up in, up in Alaska. The last instruction was for me to spread the last of the ashes into the wind on First Beach, where they met."

A sigh escaped him. "I guess it was too much to hope for to heal the wounds my father and mother caused when they ran away together. How can my grandfather still hate him so much?" he asked again.

I shrugged. "I don't know your grandfather very well, but I can only assume it's about pride for him. Maybe your dad, too."

"Hmm. Guess that would explain why my father never came down here when he got no response to his letters. I suppose he figured the old goat had already written him off."

Nodding, I said, "Maybe neither one wanted to be the one to give in, although seeing as your dad wrote some letters, at least he tried."

We'd reached the end of the dirt track and emerged from the woods. Leland crossed First Beach Road and stood at the edge of the sand, crossing his arms over his chest. "I would have liked," he said quietly, "for my grandfather to join me in saying my final goodbye, but I guess that's not going to happen."

I felt my heart lurch in my chest with the thought, but I had to ask, "I suppose this will affect your plans to stay for the summer."

Leland turned to me, and as I was staring out across the beach, he put a hand on my shoulder so I would look at him. "Hey, I'm not going to let a stubborn old man ruin my summer. I came here to honor my parents and to learn more about my father's people-and I've every intention of still doing that. You and Jake have already shown me something about the Quileutes, or at least reinforced something my father used to talk about."

I smiled tentatively. "What's that?" I asked.

His smile was small, but genuine. "The generosity of your spirits. You stopped to lend a hand to a stranger at the side of the road, and called one of your best friends to help you. He then took me to get what I needed, and told me how to get here, and back to you."

He turned to face me fully, and I felt my heart begin to quicken its pace. My breath hitched as he took a step closer, taking my hands in his. "Leah, so far I've noted that you're funny and intelligent and caring and kind. Those are all traits I look for, traits that I find attractive. The fact that you are - and this is going to sound like another of my cheesy come-ons - literally the most beautiful woman I've ever met… Well, that's a bonus. Means I definitely hit the jackpot."

Leland flashed me the grin that I realized I was already falling in love with. "In all seriousness, though," he went on, "all that I've learned about you so far only makes me want to get to know you better. Who knows if we're just meant to be friends or if we could have something more-don't want to push the envelope on the first day, right?"

I smiled back and nodded. "Absolutely. I know I certainly wouldn't want to screw it up before we get started."

"Yeah. So, we decide we're friends and just … see where that leads us."

Unbidden, an image of Sam flashed across my consciousness. I would later wonder if the imprinting had re-wired my brain, healed burned out neurons, or perhaps even created new neural pathways, because after just having affirmed that Leland and I were on the same page with letting things happen naturally, I suddenly realized there was something I needed to do.

I was going to have to reconcile my past before I could truly begin my future.

I gave Leland's hands a slight squeeze and reluctantly let them go, taking a step back. "I hate to have an ooey-gooey moment with you and then take off," I said, "but there's something I've just realized that I need to take care of. Something important."

He nodded. "It's okay. I've got things I need to do myself. Gotta figure out where I'm going to be staying after tonight, which I'll probably spend on the beach."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're gonna camp out on the beach?"

Leland chuckled mirthlessly. "Wasn't my first plan of action, but at this point seems my only choice. First I need to go get my car before Grandfather has it towed away. Then I'm going to pick a good spot for my bonfire, start gathering wood for that. Might wander the rez a bit, seeing as I have several hours before sundown."

I thought of where I was planning to go. "Actually, Lee, you have other relatives on the reservation. Well, one: a distant cousin and his wife. I'd be glad to speak to them on your behalf, arrange a meeting. I'm fairly certain that they'd welcome you if you can't make peace with Old Ray."

Leland smiled. "Thank you, Leah. Now that you've mentioned it, I remember my mother saying she and her folks had stayed with a cousin of her father's that summer."

"Alright then," I said. "I'll … see you later?"

He smiled and then reached out to grab my hands again, pulling me toward him. I felt my eyes widen and my heartbeat speed up again, wondering what he was about to do. I was pleasantly surprised in the next instant to find myself enveloped in his strong arms in a gentle embrace. Wrapping my own around his waist, I rested my cheek on his chest, sighing deeply upon hearing the steady beat of his heart.

"I better see you later," he said softly, his warm breath tickling my ear.

* * *

><p>My thoughts jumped back and forth between Leland and the mission I had set out on as I walked through the reservation. No doubt anyone who saw me would notice the smile I wore, and wonder as to its cause. I didn't care if I wore a goofy grin. I only knew that I was happy beyond belief, and even what I was about to do did not bring on any apprehension.<p>

Well, not _much_.

It took me a little while since I was walking, but at last I reached the house my cousin Emily shared with Sam. I couldn't help but wonder as I knocked whether or not Embry had come here earlier and talked to Sam about getting a DNA test.

Emily approached the screen door with a smile on her face. "Hey, Leah. Heard you were back in town. Welcome home," she said, pushing the door open.

I grinned as I stepped inside, my hand on the door so it wouldn't slam behind me. "So glad to be home, too," I said. "How's things?"

In what I had long ago noted to be a natural habit, a hand raised to rest on her growing belly. Em's smile grew as she rubbed the spot on her seven-months-pregnant girth. "Fantastic!" she said excitedly. "Baby's growing like he or she should and is perfectly healthy as far as we can tell."

"Sam still trying to bribe your doctor into telling him what you're having?"

Emily laughed. "I see Seth or your mom told you about that," she said, turning and walking over to the kitchen table, where she lowered herself into a chair slowly. I moved to sit across from her. "No doubt the whole tribe knows."

"No doubt," I agreed.

Looking at her, I recalled that there was a time I would have been sitting there filled to bursting with envy. She had my ex and she was having his baby, wherein I had lost the only man I had ever loved and believed I had become infertile. But that day? I sat there and I smiled a genuine smile of peace, and it was only joy that I felt for Emily, happiness that she was so deliriously happy with the man that she loved and had a baby on the way.

"So what brings you by?" Emily asked me. "I would have figured you'd be sticking close to home your first day."

"Mom had to work and … well, I suppose Seth did, too," I told her. "Then again, I know that Seth genuinely enjoys being a wolf, so he could have gone wild just for the fun of it."

I cleared my throat, that mild anxiety springing itself fully on me then. "As to why I came, I was actually hoping to speak to Sam."

Emily raised her eyebrows, clearly curious. I couldn't blame her. Even though it was widely known throughout the insular wolf community that I had settled down considerably, even to the point where-so Seth had told me-they hardly thought of me as 'the shrew' or 'the harpy' anymore, everyone knew that whenever I was home, I went out of my way to avoid Sam. I didn't mind seeing Emily, of course, but I usually called before I came over so that I wouldn't have to see her husband. It was in no way meant to be rude; I had just found it a lot easier to handle my emotions when I avoided subjecting myself to his presence, hoping for the day when I could actually stand to be in the same room as him without wanting to dart out the door.

I almost laughed to think the day had actually, _finally_ come. After all, I had shown up unannounced and I had come, specifically, to see Sam.

Blinking, Em smiled hesitantly. "Uh, well, he left out of here with Embry an hour or so ago," she said.

"So Embry did come by, then?" I countered.

Her eyebrows winged up again. "You know why he was here?"

I nodded. "Believe it or not, he actually came to me and asked me if I thought Sam would go for it. Cailin had brought up the subject of his dad this morning-girl's got nerve, by the way, just dropping it into a conversation like she did-and Embry said it was the first time that it got him thinking that he wouldn't be able to tell his future children where they came from."

"He told us that, too," Emily said. "Looks like imprinting has had more of an effect on him than even he thought it would. He's doing this for her."

"And he came to Sam because we all hope, for one reason or another, that Joshua's the one."

She nodded. "I don't even think he means to make it public-I kind of doubt he'll even tell his mother. I just think that Embry wants to be able to tell his children who their ancestors are."

"That, and even if Joshua isn't, Levi Uley is a relation he - and they - can be proud of," I added.

Just then a car could be heard pulling up outside. Emily and I both turned toward the door expectantly. Moments later Sam walked in, the smile on his face that was meant for Emily freezing when his eyes fell on me.

"Good afternoon, Leah," he greeted me somewhat hesitantly. "What brings you by today?"

"A couple of things," I said, standing slowly. I walked over to where he stood, still in the doorway, silhouetted by the bright afternoon sunshine.

"It happened, Sam," I blurted without preamble. "The impossible happened. The thing I had come to believe I would never-"

His eyes widened as I started to speak, and I stopped in mid-sentence, shocked, when he grabbed my arms.

"Leah!" Sam cried. "You imprinted!"

I heard Emily gasp behind me as I nodded, feeling the slap-happy smile come to my lips as I thought of Leland.

"Not a genetic dead end anymore, Sam," I said. "Children are no longer out of the realm of possibility for me. I didn't think this was going to happen, never really dreamed it would, especially given I've been wolf-free for three months now-but it did! You guys always said there's no doubt, that when you meet that person you just know. I looked into his eyes once, and I felt it. Everything that ever meant anything fell away, and there was only him!"

I reached up and took his hands off my arms, holding them as I looked into his eyes. "Sam, I came here today because … well, because this happened to me, because I got a miracle today, I came here to tell you that I understand now. I finally understand what it was like for you, for the others. I feel it even now, that compulsion to go to him, to be with him, to never leave him. But I had to. I had to tell you that at long last, I understand that there's no choice. There never was a choice but to answer the siren song of the pair-bond."

Tears pricked my eyes and I looked down at our joined hands. "I also had to come to tell you - " I sniffed and forced myself to look up into his eyes. "I had to come and tell you how very sorry I am. Maybe it's the imprinting talking, maybe I've finally grown up - I don't know. I just know that I had to come and tell you that I am so very sorry for everything. All those harsh words, the taunts, the abuse of the mental link… Everything I said and did was wrong, horribly wrong. I'm ashamed of the way I behaved then. I was before I met Leland, but now I feel it even more. I guess meeting my soul mate has given me the ability to see things so much more clearly and…"

I couldn't stop them. The tears began falling as I said the final words that I had come to say, that I needed to say even if I didn't hear the ones my heart suddenly longed to hear from him.

"…and I hope that someday you'll be able to forgive me."

Sam's expression softened and I caught a glimpse of the compassion that I used to loathe seeing in his eyes. I could also see, clearly for the first time, that he had never really pitied me or wished I would disappear. Like the visible wounds he had given Emily, Sam knew he had hurt me, cutting scars that went far deeper and took much longer to heal. He had only wished that he hadn't had to hurt me in answering his own siren song, had wished there was some way he could alleviate my pain, to make up for the promises he would not be able to keep. There was a time I would have given anything for him to do something-anything-that would end my suffering. Now I knew he didn't have to…

…because he wasn't meant to.

After a heartbeat of staring into each other's eyes, Sam began to speak. "We both answered the call of a destiny neither of us could have ever imagined was ours, and in the process we hurt the people we cared about the most. I do not think either of us can truly be blamed for our actions, though we may always regret them."

He drew me into his arms then, holding me as he said in the tongue of our ancestors, "Do not despair, my sister. There is nothing to forgive."

I cried the biggest tears I had ever cried as a weight I hadn't even known I carried lifted from my heart. For the first time in four years, I felt free.

Smiling as he held me away from him, Sam said, "You do not know how much I have prayed for this day, that you would find the one meant for you and be at peace."

Moving faster than I had ever thought a woman as pregnant as she could move, Emily was suddenly at my side, her own face marred with tears of joy as she threw her arms around me. "Oh, Leah, I'm so happy for you! This is the most fantastic news!"

I nodded, sniffling as I wiped the tears from my face and chin. "I can still barely believe it happened. But it did, and I'm so happy I can't even tell you how happy I am!"

Sam and Emily laughed. "So who is the lucky fellow?" Sam asked. "I daresay he's not Quileute, you've seen every one of our boys since you first phased."

I chuckled. "Well, you're half right," I said. "Leland is half-Quileute. In fact, he's related to two if the strongest wolf lines in the tribe."

They both went from smiling to confused in a second's time. "I didn't know there were…" Sam began. "But who? Who are his relations?"

I had to smile. "Old Ray Whistler is his grandfather, Sam."

I waited to see his reaction. Obviously he knew who Old Ray was. But would he make the other connection - the one that led to him? For that matter, did he even know?

Emily got there before he did, which told me that she had heard the story from someone. Possibly even me, though I didn't recall ever telling her. She inhaled sharply, her gaze darting back and forth between Sam and me.

"That is so strange," she breathed.

I looked at her. "I said freaky myself."

Emily giggled, and Sam frowned. "Obviously you two know something I don't. Would either of you care to enlighten me?"

Though I hadn't until that moment remembered who she was, I recalled with sudden clarity the name of Levi Uley's wife, and how she was related to Leland.

"Sam, not only is Leland Old Ray's grandson, but Ellen Uley, your great-grandmother, would be his great-grandfather's cousin on his mother's side," I told him. "Your families are related by marriage about four generations back."

He stared at me, and I thought for moment he was going to deny it. "You imprinted … on my _cousin_? My - what is he, third? Fourth?"

"Mom says a cousin is a cousin," I said with a shrug. "But yeah, third or fourth cousin."

Emily turned to him with one eyebrow raised. "And what's wrong with cousins? You imprinted on one of hers," she said, jerking a thumb in my direction.

"Yeah," he said, stepping around us and dropping into a chair at the table. "But it's just…"

"Strange?" supplied Emily.

"Freaky?" I suggested.

Sam sighed. "Weird," he said at last. "It's just really weird that I imprinted on your cousin and you on mine."

Emily and I returned to our seats. "Actually," I began, "when I talked to my mother, she came up with a theory about that."

I explained my mother's genetic attraction theory, and while Sam and Emily grasped the concept about as well as I had, they didn't dismiss it out of hand. "Makes an odd sort of sense," Sam said.

I nodded my agreement. "It does, but to be honest, I don't think I'd really like to delve too deep into the metaphysical aspects of imprinting. It's been hard enough on the two of us as it is."

"Indeed," Sam conceded.

Emily smiled brightly. "So? When do we get to meet him? Surely you intend to bring him by."

"I do," I said. "And that's something else I actually need to talk to you about."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"Leland came down because his parents died two weeks ago. Old Ray and Little Ray hadn't spoken in thirty years, Sam, and Lee didn't exactly get a warm reception from Old Ray. He … he might need a place to stay this summer."


	6. Chapter 5

**5. Bonfire Tales**

Sam and Emily looked at each other and then at me, saying in unison, "He can stay with us."

Relief flooded through me, though I'd had no doubt that they would welcome him. "I can't thank you guys enough. This means a lot to me, and will no doubt mean a lot to Leland."

Emily dismissed my words with a wave of her hand. "Think nothing of it. Leland is family, Leah."

Sam nodded his agreement. "Em is right. I won't turn away family even if I don't know him. Your imprinting on him tells me he is a man of good character, and will do no harm to anyone. Plus, I don't have to worry about him trying to steal my wife."

I felt Emily kick him under the table, but both Sam and I laughed. It felt so amazing, so wonderful, to be able to share a genuine laugh with him again. As I looked at him, I felt none of the aching pain or emptiness I had felt for much of the last four years. All I felt for Sam as I looked at him now was a deep feeling of friendship-but nothing more. He was akin to a brother to me now. As soon as I realized I felt only a sister's love for him, my thoughts immediately turned to Leland.

And when I thought of _him_, a whole new well-spring of emotions coursed through me, stronger and more powerful than I anything had ever felt before.

I knew the goofy smile had returned to my face when Sam and Emily both began staring pointedly at me. "I know that look," Emily said, glancing at Sam.

Sam laughed and I colored with embarrassment. "Don't be embarrassed, sister," Sam said. "You are allowed to be distracted by thoughts of your bondmate."

I cleared my throat. "At least I won't be torturing anyone with my happy, happy thoughts. I experienced that enough to know that all it does is drive the other wolves crazy."

"But one look at you in this form, and they will all know what, or rather who, is on your mind," Sam pointed out. "I do not doubt that our brothers will be happy for you, Leah."

"Yeah, no more harpy," I said wryly.

"They don't think of you that way anymore," Emily said. "They can see-everyone can see-how much you've changed."

"Grown up, you mean," I retorted. "But thank you anyway."

Right then my stomach protested its emptiness rather loudly, reminding me that I had forgotten to eat lunch. _Gee, I wonder why?_ I thought wryly.

I stood. "I should go," I said. "Gotta find something to eat and then go find Leland."

"Why don't you eat here?" Emily said, rising awkwardly from her chair and heading toward the kitchen. "We haven't had lunch yet."

"No, Em. You don't have to do that," I protested, but Sam laid a hand on my arm.

"Let Emily get you something to eat," he said.

I nodded mutely and sat back down, watching as Emily puttered around the kitchen, making sandwiches and grabbing a pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator. Sam hopped up and carried those for her back to the table while she grabbed a glass for each of us from the cabinet. We each grabbed a sandwich and started to eat before the conversation continued.

"So tell us about Leland," Emily asked before taking another bite of her sandwich. "I'll bet he's handsome."

I grinned hugely. "He is, though I'm sure that with the imprinting it doesn't matter what the person looks like. To us, they're perfection personified."

Sam smiled across the table at Emily. "Absolutely," he said with love in his eyes. She smiled back at him, but continued to pepper me with questions.

"I don't really know that much about him. Yet," I said. "Collectively, I've spent only about an hour in his company. I know he grew up on a Lakota reservation in South Dakota. His mother did eventually make up with her father, and Leland inherited his car when he was sixteen. He also went into the same profession as Chester Raven. He's a contractor.

"But like I said, he came down here because his parents died in a car accident two weeks ago. He's filling their request to spread their ashes at the three places that meant the most to them, and First Beach, where they met, is the last spot on his list. He plans to light a bonfire after sundown and cast their ashes into the wind."

"Will you go to him, and be with him when he says his last goodbye?" Emily asked softly.

My heart suddenly ached with wanting to comfort my new bondmate. "I want to," I said slowly. "But obviously I don't know what he wants. He was hoping Old Ray would be there, his family-his father's father. But I don't qualify as family, not to him anyway."

"Not yet," Sam said, like it was already a foregone conclusion. I hoped it was, because I already could not imagine my life without him.

I sighed, having finished a sandwich and a glass of lemonade while we talked, and looked at my companions. "At the very least, I'm going to go find him, probably down at the beach, and see what his plans are for after. And then … we'll see."

As I stood again to leave, Emily insisted on sending some food with me for Leland. She got a brown paper sack from the kitchen and wrapped three sandwiches to put inside it. After hugging them goodbye and promising to introduce them to Leland soon, I left and started making my way back to the beach. My thoughts, of course, were on Leland all the way, and I alternated between smiling with joy and frowning with sorrow. I knew what he was going to do tonight was going to be hard on him because it was, as Emily had said, his last goodbye. There were no more places to visit, would be no more ashes to spread. His parents would truly be gone. Having had to say goodbye to my own father three years ago, I knew a little about what that felt like.

I found Leland in his car, parked in the small lot used by tourists and sunbathers. He had the radio on and was staring out across the beach, probably not seeing any of the people running around on the sand or frolicking in the water.

I stepped up to the passenger side. "Hey, stranger."

Leland looked up at me and grinned. "Hey, beautiful. Care to join me?"

I nodded and got into the car, holding out the brown paper sack I carried. "I saw your cousins while I was gone and they send their love-and food. Sam and Emily want to meet you. They agreed that you can stay with them if you're open to it."

Leland held the sack in his hands in silence for a moment. "They are most kind to offer," he said. "They don't even know me, yet are willing to open their home to me. I am grateful."

Looking up again, he pointed down the beach, to an area where the sand was coarser and less comfortable, littered with small stones and other natural debris, and thus typically avoided by the summer tourists and other beachgoers. "Got my spot all picked out for the bonfire," he said. "Just hope there's a breeze tonight."

I could see a circle of large stones next to a pile of wood. I noticed that he'd set them up at a spot clearly visible from the end of the track that led to Old Ray's place; whether it was by accident or design, I decided not to point that out.

Leland turned and stuffed the bag of sandwiches behind his seat, and I was suddenly struck with the thought, _Where in the world does he put trash in this car?_ "Let's get out of here for a while," he said. "I feel like going for a drive."

Like I was about to deny myself another opportunity to spend more time with him. "Sure," I said. "But where do you want to go?"

He turned the key in the ignition, and his car roared to life. "What about that hotel my mother's father built? I think I'd like to see that."

"Well then, I'm yours as long as you're content to let me ride shotgun," I said with a smile.

"Awesome," he said, then backed out of his parking spot. "Besides, I need a navigator who knows the area."

"You picked the right girl, then. I've lived here all my life."

Leland cast me a smile, and I gave him directions to the resort section of La Push. We were silent except for my instructions for a while, until he said, "You know? I used to wonder how my Granddad's company got the contract to build a hotel all the way down here in Washington. He ran a small company at the time, and now one of his nephews runs the business."

"Don't contracting firms bid for clients or something like that?" I asked.

Leland nodded. "Sort of. Clients usually contact several contracting firms with their plans, and then hire the one who can do the job at the least amount of cost. There are also times when a firm will hear through the grapevine about a project and will approach the client in question with their bid."

"Well then, maybe your grandfather's firm already had a reputation for good work that the client was looking for, or they heard about the project through someone else and decided to try for it. Either way, it worked. They were down here for most of the summer that year. At least until…"

I paused, having realized-almost too late-that I was about to say something really stupid. It wouldn't be a good idea for me to just throw out glib remarks about his parents.

Leland glanced briefly at me, returning his eyes to the road in front of him as he said, "At least until my parents decided to run away together."

"Lee, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be insensitive."

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Besides, it's the truth, ain't it? Of course, my grandparents stayed on until the hotel was finished. They were hoping Mom would come to her senses and come back, but she never did. Neither did Dad."

Leland sighed, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Nothing more was said about his parents as we drove, the main tourist area of La Push coming into sight soon after that. Eventually we pulled up in front of a rather quaint little two-story hotel called the Covington Inn. He stared up at the white brick building for a long moment before getting out of the car, and I followed in silence. Inside the lobby, his demeanor changed, his face lighting up with pleasure.

"This is really nice," he said with a smile. He pointed to the walls and ceiling. "See the beams? That's the natural wood there. I like how it's exposed."

I looked where he indicated, noting the natural, unpainted wooden beams. "I like it too-gives the place a kind of 'log cabin' sort of feel."

"Welcome to the Covington Inn. How may I help you?"

Leland and I looked at the petite blonde that had approached us, whose nametag identified her as "Susie." She was smiling appreciatively at Leland, and if I wasn't mistaken, was clearly doing her best to ignore the fact that I was standing right next to him.

For his part, Leland didn't even spare her glance, his eyes still taking in the architecture and décor as he asked, "Do all the rooms have the same exposed woodwork?"

"Yes, sir, they certainly do," said Susie. "Much of the molding, support beams, doors and cabinetry, as well as the bed frames and other furniture in the guest rooms and dining room are all natural, hand-crafted wood. I believe it gives our hotel a comfortable, lived-in atmosphere, and we like our guests to feel like the Covington is a second home when they stay with us."

"Or third or fourth, for some of them," I quipped, earning a laugh from Leland.

Susie narrowed her eyes at me, but when Leland finally looked at her, her expression was beaming. "Would you like to register, sir?" she asked.

"No, my friend and I won't be staying," he said. "I just wanted to have a look at the hotel my grandfather built."

"Oh, your grandfather built the inn?" she asked.

Leland nodded. "He was the project supervisor when this place was being built. Anyway, thank you for the information. Maybe we'll come back sometime."

Leland nodded and turned for the door, missing the look of disappointment that crossed Susie's face. I followed behind him quickly, unable to keep from smiling.

Outside, he looked back at the building as he rounded the front end of his car. "It looks like a nice place. If Sam and Emily weren't being so nice to me, I'd probably stay here."

"Yeah, at least you won't have to pay for a place to sleep," I said as I got in beside him.

I fully expected Leland to drive back to the reservation, but he surprised me by ending up on the PCH. We followed the famous highway for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, and during those hours we talked-a lot. He told me all about what it had been like being a "mixed-breed Indian" growing up on a reservation full of American Indians from which neither of his bloodlines hailed. Most everyone accepted his family, he told me, but there were always bad apples in every bunch, and during his childhood he'd faced his share of bullying from ignorant fools who taunted him both because he was a half-blood from two different tribes, but also because neither were Lakota.

"The Lakota are a wonderful people, though," he went on, "so don't get the wrong idea about them. Having grown up there, and then having visited the Haida and now the Quileutes, I've come to the conclusion that most First Nations peoples all have certain traits in common."

"Like what?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"A determination to preserve their cultural heritage is one. I got a strong sense of that from my cousins when I was in Alaska, and from my mother, who told us many stories of her tribe's traditions. I also got many similar stories about the Quileutes from my father, and experienced much of it from growing up among the Lakota. All three tribes also have a deep spiritual faith, and a love of the land which sustains them."

As the time passed, we talked more about the cultural likenesses and differences between the Haida, Quileutes, and Lakota. We also talked about our families, and how we each felt an overwhelming surge of protectiveness for our younger siblings.

"It drives Seth nuts," I said, "especially now that he's taller and stronger than me, and is of the mind that with Dad gone, he's the 'man of the house.' But I can't help it."

Leland chuckled. "Shalayne doesn't mind having a protective older brother until it comes time for some boy to pick her up for a date, and I make certain they understand that one wrong step would land them in traction."

Though we both laughed at the comment, I had not a single doubt that he meant every word. When he spoke of his parents or his sister, the strength of the love Leland felt for them was evident on his face.

By the time Leland and I returned to the reservation, the sun was beginning to set. During our drive we had eaten the sandwiches Emily had made, so he simply drove back to the parking lot by the beach, now deserted at this hour. Silence had fallen between us some time before we crossed the border, and now it seemed to grow more intense. Just thinking about what he would soon be doing made my heart lurch-I wanted very much to be there with him, to support him while he performed that heartbreaking task, but it suddenly dawned on me that while we had had what I believed to be a pretty good time getting to know each other the last few hours, saying goodbye to his parents was a deeply personal affair, and he might not actually want me there. As much as I wanted to be there for him, he hadn't asked, and I didn't want to intrude if I wasn't wanted. With that in mind, I reached for the door handle and opened it, stepping a leg out before he grabbed my arm. I looked back at him and felt my heart jump again at the pain in his eyes.

"Please don't leave me," Leland said in a ravaged whisper. "I don't think I can do this alone."

Nodding silently, I drew my leg back in and shut the door. I said nothing as he let go my arm and turned to stare down the beach to the place where he had made the circle of stones. "I thought I could, you know," he said after a moment. "Sure, there were people with me at home, like my sister, our godfather, neighbors and friends… And even though I went by myself, there were people with me in Alaska, too. Cousins of my mother's, other relatives and people she'd grown up with.

"I thought I was going to have to do it alone when I came here, because I wouldn't know anyone," he went on. "Then you and Jake both mentioned my grandfather was alive, and I felt relieved I wouldn't have to. Of course, you know how well that went, and so I resigned myself to doing it alone. But I just … I can't do it by myself. My grandfather refuses to take part and my sister can't be here. At the very least I need a friend."

"Leland, you have one right here," I said softly, placing my hand on top of his. "From the moment we met we were friends, and we always will be."

Leland looked over at me, his eyes searching my face. Whatever he was looking for he must have seen, because he offered me the smallest of smiles and, taking the keys out of the ignition, got out of the car. I followed and waited while he opened the trunk and lifted out a box, in which there was a metal urn and what looked like a photo album. Closing the trunk, he turned without a word for the beach. I walked behind him in silence, though we were quickly stopped by a voice calling my name.

I turned to find Sam and Emily walking toward us-it was Sam who had called out to me. Seth was with them, and from the look on his face I knew that they had told him about my imprinting. I didn't mind at all, as he was due to find out anyway. I was just glad to see them, and was grateful beyond words that they had come.

When they reached us, I introduced them to Leland, who had stepped up beside me. "Lee, this is your distant cousin Sam Uley, and his wife Emily. This here is my brother, Seth. Guys, I'd like you to meet Leland Whistler."

Leland shifted the box to his left arm so that he could hold out his right to shake each of their hands. "Thank you very much for coming. It was not necessary."

"Nonsense, cousin," said Sam. "No one should have to say goodbye alone."

"I only wish we were meeting under different circumstances," Emily added.

He looked at Sam for a long moment, then at Emily, and then at Seth. He looked last to me, and when I nodded, he sighed. Once again he said nothing as he turned and started walking to the spot he had chosen for his bonfire, the rest of us following behind him. He set the box down a few feet away from the circle of stones and went to the woodpile; Sam and Seth, without being asked, moved to help him build a pyramid in the middle, and by the time Leland produced a lighter to start the fire, the sky above us had darkened and the first stars were beginning to twinkle. When they had finished, Sam and Seth returned to where Emily and I were standing.

We waited for a few moments, and I watched Leland as he stared into the fire. He only stood there, staring, neither saying nor doing anything. I reached down into the box and picked up the urn, carrying it over to him. Leland looked at the metal urn and then at me, and for the first time I saw tears in his eyes. His breathing hitched and I felt my own eyes fill. It was killing me to see him in so much pain, and I had barely known him a day. I set the urn down in the sand and took a step closer, where I could wrap my arms around him. His came around my waist in a vise-like grip, and he buried his face in the crook of my neck. He shook with emotion, but didn't cry.

Suddenly, I was reminded of my father's funeral. I was sitting between my mother and my brother, staring ahead at the casket, tears burning my eyes. I'd wanted to be strong for my mother, and I sat there letting her hold my hand tight enough to cause pain, but I said nothing. Then I noticed that on my other side, my little brother was breathing funny, and when I turned to him, I saw that he was struggling not to cry. I remembered throwing my arms around him and just holding him, and recalling the words of a Patty Loveless song that had always seemed very sad to me, but had never hit so close to home as it had at that moment.

I recalled those words again as I stood there with my arms around the man whom Destiny had decided was my perfect match. Heedless of the fact that we had an audience or that I could very well get ribbed about it from my brother tomorrow, I softly sang the chorus in Leland's ear.

"_How can I help you to say goodbye? It's okay to hurt, and it's okay to cry. Come let me hold you, and I will try_…"

As I sang the last line, Leland's control broke, and he cried into my shoulder. He made little noise, but his large frame shook with the force of his grief, and I suspected that he hadn't cried once since his parents had died-probably wanted to be strong for his sister like a good older brother would. But two weeks was too long to keep that kind of emotion bottled up inside, and it was some time before he had settled enough to step away from me. He raised one hand to wipe at his face, then reached down and picked up the urn. He turned back to the fire and unscrewed the cap.

"Wait."

Simultaneously we all turned, and I'm certain we were all surprised to see Old Ray trying to make his way onto the beach. Sam quickly left Emily's side and went to help the elderly man, whose cane was sinking into the sand and making it hard for him to remain steady as he walked. Sam led him over to where I stood with Leland, at which time I stepped back and joined the others.

Leland looked down at his grandfather. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone accusatory.

"No man with even half a heart can stand by and do nothing when he sees his kin is suffering," Old Ray replied.

"You were watching me?"

"I was. Also, after you left this afternoon, I made a few phone calls. Wanted to know why you came."

"You could have asked me that before you shut your door in my face, you know," the younger man pointed out. "Too little, too late, remember?"

"I know. And … I'm sorry, boy. Thirty years is a long time to hold on to foolish pride, and no matter what I've thought of your father, it shouldn't reflect on you. You're your own man."

Old Ray sighed, and looked, rather sadly, at the object Leland held in his hands. "I wasted a lifetime by not speaking to Raymond while he was still living. I'm really hoping you'll allow me to say a proper goodbye to my son."

Leland looked down at the old man for a moment before silently unscrewing the cap of the urn and holding it out to him. Old Ray nodded once, then reached inside and took a handful of the ashes.

Right then, a gentle breeze began to blow from the south, and I smiled. Leland had gotten the breeze he hoped for, and I even wondered if perhaps it was the spirits of Little Ray and Anita coming by to celebrate Old Ray's letting go of the past.

As Old Ray released that first handful of ashes into the wind, Leland began speaking in Quileute. His grandfather looked up at him, obviously surprised that he knew the language, and his expression shifted. I imagined he was proud of the fact that his son had thought enough of his people to teach their ancient tribal language to his own boy. After a few lines, I recognized the words as a prayer for the spirit to be at peace. I began to mouth the words silently, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Sam and Emily doing the same.

We stood watching as Leland took a handful of ashes and let them go, then they each took one more and let them trail from their hands to be carried off by the breeze. Eventually Leland upended the urn, and the last few ashes floated away. After a moment of silence watching them move away into the darkness, Old Ray looked up at Leland. "Your father taught you our language, one of our prayers. That's a good thing, a very good thing."

"I speak four languages, sir. Along with English and Quileute, I also speak Haida and Lakota very well," Leland said.

"Hmm… The peoples you were born from, and raised among. A fine education you've had in languages. Tell me, did my boy ever tell you any of our tribal legends?"

The younger Whistler nodded. "A few."

"He ever tell you about the spirit warriors or Chief Taha Aki?"

This time a negative shake of the head. "I don't think so. At least, not that I recall right now."

I exchanged a look with Sam and Seth. Was Old Ray really going to tell Leland a story we had only heard _after_ we had become wolves? Why was he telling it to Leland without having any idea whether or not he had inherited the wolf gene?

Old Ray turned back to us. "Samuel, why don't you and Seth fetch something for your lovely wife and myself to sit on?"

Sam and Seth immediately jogged off toward the nearby woods, returning shortly with two small logs. They were each easily large enough to seat two people and looked to be pretty heavy, but as Sam and Seth were both wolves … well, both were more than capable of handling their weight. As for whether or not Leland noticed that the two of them didn't even break a sweat, I tried not to dwell on that.

They placed the logs close to the fire. Sam helped Emily lower herself onto one log and then joined her, and Leland did the same with Old Ray. Seth parked his butt in the sand next to Sam, and I (more gracefully, mind you) knelt in the sand next to Leland. He turned to me and held out his hand. Delightfully surprised by the gesture, I placed my own in his with a smile. I noticed Old Ray watching us, and the way he nodded, with that tiny, knowing smile, told me that he knew-or at least suspected-what had transpired between us earlier in the day. Well, as an Elder, he would find out for sure fairly soon.

Turning to look into the fire, Old Ray began to tell a tale the rest of us knew all too well. He talked of the ancient spirit warriors-men who could separate their spirits from their physical bodies and wreak havoc on the enemy by creating disturbances with the wind and commanding wild animals to do their bidding. Then he spoke of the wolf warriors-how they had descended from Chief Taha Aki, last of the Spirit Chiefs, who had joined his spirit with a great wolf in order to defeat the treacherous Utlapa; that his sons and their sons at first could change form into wolves when they reached manhood, but later only whenever there were Cold Ones nearby.

"Sam here, and your friend Leah and her brother, are descendants of Taha Aki's sons," Old Ray finished. "So are we, the last of the Whistlers."

"Who or what are Cold Ones?" Leland asked.

Old Ray looked at him. "Nowadays they're known as vampires, my boy."

Leland shook his head, chuckling slightly. "That's the first time I've ever heard of vampires in a Native American legend. Never even knew vampire legends existed anywhere except Europe," he said. "Though the part about the wolf warriors does remind me of a Haida legend Mom told Shalayne and I once, and a Lakota legend my godfather told us."

"Who is Shalayne?" Old Ray asked.

"My little sister. Seventeen years old going on thirty," Leland replied.

"Where is she now?" Seth piped up.

Leland looked over. "At the Greater South Dakota Youth Initiative-it's a sort of summer camp for young scholars. She wasn't going to go after Mom and Dad died, but I thought it was a good idea for her to go, take her mind off of things. She didn't have to go through the goodbye process two more times. Once was hard enough on her."

"Two more times?" said Old Ray.

Leland nodded. "It was a wish of my parents that their ashes be spread in the three places that had meant the most to them. One was our home on the Lakota reservation where we lived, one was Mother's childhood home, one was here. I couldn't put her through it three times."

"You did the right thing, son," Old Ray told him. "So tell us these other legends our Quileute legend reminds you of. Many tribes do share similar history, and I like to hear it. Too many of the old stories are lost."

"Well, Branson-that's my godfather-told us that the Lakota once believed in servants of God called Thunder Spirits. They were powerful entities that influenced the lives of the Lakota people, often by taking the form of an animal and giving them spiritual guidance."

"Like a spirit guide?" asked Emily.

"Yes, very much so," Leland replied.

"And the Haida legend?" prompted Old Ray.

"Though in many cultures the raven is cast as a trickster, or the bearer of bad omens or death, Mother said the Haida have a creation myth in which the raven is the creator of the world and the bringer of daylight. He was God. But the story that comes to mind is that of a raven who became a man because he had fallen in love with a human woman. With her he fathered daughters and sons, and his sons could transform into ravens in times of danger. When he heard the story, Branson said that the raven was perhaps a Thunder Spirit, and called it by the name Thunderbird."

"Then the wolf whom Chief Taha Aki joined with was perhaps a Thunderwolf, one could say, if the legend were interpreted from that point of view," said Old Ray.

"I think Branson would agree," Leland replied.

"Your godfather sounds like a wise man, Leland," Old Ray said. "But this wise man thinks it is time to go. Help me up, will you?"

Leland stood and helped Old Ray to his feet, handing him his cane. Sam, Emily, Seth and I stood as well. "As Emily said before, it would have been nice to meet you under better circumstances, cousin, and you have my sincerest condolences for your loss," Sam said. "But I look forward to getting to know you, if you are open to it."

Leland shook the hand Sam offered and nodded. "Thank you," he said. "I look forward to it as well."

Emily smiled at him and brushed a kiss on his cheek. "I hope to see you again real soon."

"I'm sure you will," Leland told her with a smile.

With a final goodbye, Sam took Emily's hand and the two walked away. Seth shook Leland's hand again, said "See ya later, man" and took off after them.

Though I certainly didn't want to go, I sighed and moved to follow. "Guess I'll be seeing you, Lee."

"Nonsense, girl," said Old Ray. "I just need help getting back to the road. I can make it to the house on my own."

Leland looked at him. "Are you sure, Grandfather?"

"I made it out here on my own, didn't I?" the old man countered. "I'm old, not an invalid. Just help me out of the sand and I'll be fine. I'll make up the spare room for you and leave the door unlocked. Come in when you're ready."

Leland smiled at me, and I nodded, watching as he took his grandfather by the arm and started across the sand toward First Beach Road. I turned back to the fire, my thoughts churning suddenly. My mother and I had wondered just that afternoon if perhaps there were something more to what Anita's father had told her than she had realized, maybe even a shape-shifter history. And if our shape-shifter legend had turned out to be true…

…was it possible that the Haida legend was true also?


	7. Chapter 6

**6. Ripples and Roller Coasters**

After Leland helped Old Ray back up to the road, he watched him until he had disappeared into the darkness of the trees surrounding either side of the dirt trail that led to his house. He then returned to where I stood by the fire and extended his hand to me.

"Care to take a walk with me?" he asked.

I nodded mutely and took his hand. Leland led me down toward the water, where we walked along beside it. At first my companion was silent, so I said nothing, allowing him once again to think in private. He then began to speak, slowly at first, but then with more vigor as he expressed his surprise and gratitude that Sam and Emily had thought to attend and that they had managed to bring Seth along with them. He was even more surprised, of course, that Old Ray had chosen to forget the past and had not only decided to have a relationship with him, but had come tonight to say goodbye to his son.

After walking for a while, we returned to the fire. Leland retrieved the box he had carried from his car and brought it over to the log he and his grandfather had sat on, placing the empty urn inside and pulling the album out. We sat down on the log and he opened the book, showing me dozens of pictures of his parents, his sister, and himself, along with friends from the Lakota tribe they had been adopted into-including his godfather, Branson. Nearly every picture had a story, some funny, some poignant. It was a wonderful experience for me, to spend time with him and learn more about him, who his family were and had been-to learn about the life of my soul mate. I wanted to reciprocate in kind, to tell him everything there was to know about me, and although I answered every question he asked truthfully, I still held back.

I didn't tell him about the wolf. I couldn't tell him, not yet. At the time I don't think I could have said why, but I realize now that I was afraid … afraid that I might already be falling for him, and afraid that the truth might scare him away. He was so funny and kind and serious, and so many more of the things I had always hoped to find in a man, even before my life had gone to pot. I enjoyed being in Leland's company because the tranquility he emanated seemed so effortless and natural, and just being near him brought more peace to my own soul. I was vulnerable, having just found the stability that I had struggled long and hard to achieve, and his walking away from me would have destroyed all I had worked for over the last few years. I might well have returned to being the harpy some of the other wolves remembered only too well … or become something worse. It's humbling and frightening to realize that I was so fragile that first day.

Eventually, Leland and I both began to yawn. We laughed, and then he looked at his watch and said it was nearly two in the morning. He insisted it was time he took me home, so I helped him throw sand on the embers of the dying fire and allowed him to escort me to his car. He drove me home and walked me up to the door, waited until I had unlocked and opened it, then leaned over and kissed my cheek. I felt a flush creeping up my neck as he told me good-night, ushered me inside and pulled the door shut for me. After locking it, I peeked through the window and watched him as he walked back across the yard to his car at the curb. He got in and started the engine, waved because he knew I was watching, and then drove away.

I headed for my bedroom with a girly giggle bubbling in my throat. I undressed and pulled on pajamas as it broke through and escaped my lips, then sighed and threw myself across my bed, promptly falling into a blissful sleep.

* * *

><p>Despite the lateness of the hour I'd gone to bed, I was up by nine. I found Mom and Seth both in the kitchen, where she was making pancakes to feed my brother's monstrous appetite. Seth saw the smile on my face and rolled his eyes.<p>

"Man, I can't freakin' believe it!" he exclaimed between mouthfuls of food. "For someone who said she was giving up all things wolf, you sure as heck got what every wolf wants."

"Good morning to you, too, little brother." I said as I went to get myself a glass. I sat across the table from him and picked up the carton of orange juice, filling my cup.

"How did this even happen?" he went on. "You said yourself you haven't phased in three months, and you gotta be a wolf to imprint!"

"Seth," my mother admonished.

I narrowed my eyes at him over the rim of my glass, setting it down and swallowing before I said, "I might be giving up phasing, but it doesn't mean I'm not a wolf anymore. And I don't know how or why it happened, okay? It just … did. Just like everyone else, I had no control over it."

"I know," he said glumly. "And it ain't like I'm not happy for you, 'cause I am, I swear. Guess I'm just a little jealous, is all."

I reached over and patted his arm. "Hey, what happened to all your optimism? You're the one that keeps saying you just haven't met her yet. Besides, I thought I was a genetic dead end, right? Thought I was going to have to stop being a wolf so I could have kids of my own, and that I'd have to fall for someone the old fashioned way, like I did for Sam.

"But I didn't. For some unknown reason, Fate gave me everything I ever wanted after all. And if it was meant to happen for me, I can't believe that it isn't meant to happen for you, too."

Seth was silent as our mother brought me a plate of pancakes. "Leah's right, son," she said. "Just because we can't be sure whether or not all wolves will imprint doesn't mean they won't, especially if Sam's theory is right about an imprint being the person you're most likely to reproduce with. If that were true, then I would think every wolf would have to imprint at some point."

"More than half of us have imprinted now," I pointed out. "At this rate, I'm sure the rest of you will in the next year, year and a half at most. You just might have to venture off the reservation to find her, who knows?"

He ate in silence for a few moments, thinking that over, slowly perking up until he began to smile and nod, and said, "Yup. Just haven't met her yet."

Mom and I exchanged a look. "That's my boy," she said, and began digging into her own plate of food.

Moments later we were startled by an insistent knocking at the door. Seth sniffed the air and so did I-it was a habit every wolf had developed. Even though the front door was closed, a few of the windows were open, and the scent of our visitor was easily detected. We were both out of our chairs before Mom had even had a chance to ask, "Who could that be?"

"It's Sam," Seth and I said at the same time, as we marched quickly from the kitchen to the living room. My bother reached the door before me and had it unlocked and open in quick succession. Sam was inside before Mom had even reached the living room.

His expression had us all concerned-he was worried about something, or someone. "What is it, Sam?" I asked.

Sam regarded me carefully. "It's Sierra Bivens, Collin's imprint. I don't think you've met her."

I recalled Seth telling me that during the Christmas break at school this year, the Littleseas had taken a trip to Georgia. During a visit to the Okefenokee Swamp Park, where Collin's little sister had insisted on going because she had wanted to see some alligators, he had imprinted on another park visitor, a girl from a local Cherokee tribe. Somehow, his parents had convinced Sierra's to move from Georgia to Washington so that he could be near her. Connie Littlesea, a real estate agent, had even gone so far as to sell them a house at below market value just to get them to make the move.

"I haven't, but I know of her and I believe I saw them together when I was here during Spring Break," I said. "What happened?"

"She never came home last night," he replied. "No one's seen her since about ten o'clock. We've been searching since I got word, after Em and I made it home."

"Dude, you should have told me!" Seth exclaimed.

"You had been patrolling all afternoon, Seth. I knew you were tired, so I let you sleep," Sam told him.

"I thought those two were joined at the hip? At least that's what Seth told me," I commented.

Sam nodded, smiling grimly. "Most of the time they are, but Sierra was determined to get a summer job. Yesterday was her first day of work. She was last seen leaving the ice cream shop where she got hired. The Waffle Cone, on the boardwalk."

"Oh, her parents must be frantic," Mom said.

"Collin must be going nuts," added Seth. "Let's go."

Sam stopped him as he started for the door. "Wait," he said. "I came here to ask you to do something for me. I'd like to get Jacob in on this, but Embry reported that he hasn't phased since he went hunting with Renesmee yesterday afternoon, shortly after they arrived in town."

Sam knew that I had seen Jacob yesterday, so I asked, "Why not just call him?"

He sighed. "Because I was going to have him ask the Cullens to help us look for her. I've had wolves in the woods, pushing the search radius. The La Push police have apparently already talked her friends, the people she worked with, and questioned workers from neighboring businesses. With the consequences this will have on Collin and the pack, I want as many eyes as possible searching for her."

Sam hadn't always trusted the Cullens, even while he respected the treaty that our great-grandfathers had made with them. Fighting alongside them, however, during the battle with Victoria's newborn army and standing with them as they faced the Volturi to protect Renesmee had altered his opinion of them. They were no longer the enemy, but allies. To some of the wolves, such as Seth, they were friends.

Still, I knew it took a lot of pride-swallowing on his behalf to even consider asking the Cullens for help. Sam was the kind of person who liked to do things in-house, keeping it in the family. Pack business was no one's business but the pack's, and so to ask for outside help, even from our allies, told me he was very worried. And I knew it was not without cause, because we had all been told what could happen to a wolf that had lost his mate.

"You still could have called him, Sam," I pointed out kindly. "He could tell you over the phone if they decided to help."

"I know that!" Sam replied in an exasperated tone. "Don't you think I've tried?"

He blew out a sharp breath. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just very worried about Sierra, and the effect this is having on Collin. At the very least I need Jacob, to lead his boys and coordinate with me."

When Jacob had chosen to move with the Cullens to New Hampshire, he had offered leadership of his pack to me, his Beta. I was not taking his place as Alpha, of course, just becoming the person the pack would have to listen to in his absence. I took the job for a while, but after moving to Port Angeles to go to the community college, I had passed the duty on to Embry so that I could work on not phasing. Jacob would lead them when he visited, of course, but when he was across the country Embry led his pack, coordinating with Sam on patrolling schedules.

But for this, I knew, we would all want both Alphas on the job.

"I'll go," I volunteered. "That way you and Seth can get out there that much faster."

For the first time since he had stepped through our door, Sam's smile was genuine. "Thank you, Leah. If we're not going to have you on all fours, it will be good to have you as a coordinator."

"I'm happy to help, you know that."

"And I'll take a picture of her to Charlie," Mom put in. "I daresay it's not a bad idea to have the Forks police in on this, too."

Sam nodded. "That's a good idea, Sue. Come on, Seth. When Jacob phases, he'll be able to tell us what the Cullens decide."

"Right," Seth replied, and the two quickly left.

I ran to my room and grabbed my wallet and car keys. Mom was gathering her things as I returned to the living room, and in a moment we were both headed across the yard to our cars. At that moment, however, Leland pulled up in front of the house. Despite my concerns, I couldn't help feeling indescribably pleased to see him again so soon. It saved me from having to think up an excuse for showing up at Old Ray's later that day.

"Morning, Sunshine!" he called out to me, but something must have alerted him to the fact that something was wrong, because he quickly jumped out of the car and made his way over to Mom and I.

"What happened?" he asked.

"A close friend of the family, a young girl, has gone missing," my mother answered for me. Stepping forward, she offered him her hand. "You must be Leland. I'm Sue Clearwater, Leah's mother. It's so nice to meet you-I only wish it were under more pleasant circumstances."

He smiled as he shook her hand. "Same, Mrs. Clearwater. I'm sorry to hear about your friend."

"I'm headed over to get Jake," I said. "Sam wanted me to ask him to help."

"Why don't you let me take you? I'd be glad to help out," Leland offered.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my mother nod. "I'd hate to take up your time with this," I said.

He waved my words away. "Nonsense. I told you, I'd be glad to help."

"Thank you, Leland. It's kind of you to offer when you've just arrived back home," my mother said.

"Leah called it home, too, even though I've never been here before," he said. "I'm starting to see why. I like the way you all take care of one another. Reminds me of the Lakota."

He turned to me then. "Are you coming, or what?"

I had to grin. "Alright, let's go. The sooner the better."

I quickly kissed my mother goodbye, and jogged with Leland over to his car. He opened the door for me and I got in, then he ran around the front to the driver's side, and in another minute we were headed out of the reservation.

"Can I ask you something?" he queried.

I looked over. "What's that?'

"Well, Jake's Quileute, too, right?" I nodded. "So why doesn't he live on the reservation? I mean, I know not all Indians do, but from what little I've seen, the Quileutes seem like such a tight-knit community."

"He did at one time," I answered, wondering how to tell him about the Cullens, or if I even could. "His father still does, and his sister Rachel recently moved back home. Now Jake lives with family friends in New Hampshire, who're in Forks for the summer so he can visit with his family and one of them can visit with her father. We're going over to their house in Forks now."

We were just crossing the border between the reservation's lands and Forks, so I gave him the directions to the Cullen house.

"But why would Jake move all the way across the country if his entire family is in Washington?" Leland asked.

Inwardly I groaned. How was I going to explain this to him? Could I do it without telling him the whole truth? Did I even want to?

I realized then that as scared as I was of doing so, I did want to tell him everything. I didn't want to be keeping secrets from Leland, and if he and I had any kind of chance at a future together, then I needed to be completely honest with him about who, and what, I was.

And so, drawing in a breath, I began to tell him about how legends came to life.

* * *

><p>By the time I had finished, we were coming up on the Cullens' private driveway. Leland had kept quiet, staring straight ahead as he drove, and I watched him with my heart hammering in my chest. Fear that I had just ruined perhaps the best thing that had ever happened to me held me in a tight grip, and I had to force myself to remember that as long as Leland was safe and happy, I had to be okay with that … even if it meant he walked away from me.<p>

"So this imprinting business," he said at last, pulling up in front of the house. "Is that what happened with you and me? Is that the only reason you like me?"

"No!" I nearly shouted, ignoring the two men-Jacob and Edward-who appeared on the porch just then. "Lee, look at me, please."

Slowly he turned his head my direction. Needing to reassure him, I reached over and took his hand in mine. He didn't grip it in return, but at least he didn't pull away.

"I like you for _you_," I said, emphasizing the last word. "I like everything I have learned about you in the last day, and I can't wait to learn more. We don't know why we imprint, exactly, but I do know that it is an involuntary physical response."

"To what?" he asked tersely.

"To the presence of our perfect match. Some say our soul mate. It's our body's way of telling us 'that's the one for you.'"

He looked at me a moment longer, then wordlessly pulled his hand away and got out of the car. I watched, my heart plummeting to my feet, as he froze, staring at Edward and seeing the physical proof of what I had been telling him. It would have been hard to miss the golden topaz color of his eyes, or how the dim sunlight breaking through the trees made his milky white skin seem even paler. Had he chosen to step out further, I had no doubt we'd have seen an example of the diamond-like shimmer I'd heard tell of.

As I exited the car myself, I heard the vampire, in typical Edward fashion, responding to whatever thoughts Leland had been having without his having to speak them aloud.

"You do not have to worry about myself or my family, Leland," he said. "As Leah has explained, we only feed on animals. Never humans."

"You're the mind reader," Leland accused.

Edward nodded. "I can hear the thoughts of everyone around me, yes. Unfortunately I hear everyone all the time and cannot flip a switch to turn it off, though I have taught myself to drown out the noise, so to speak. I apologize for intruding on your thoughts without invitation-I only hoped to set your mind at ease."

Once again he didn't respond. I moved forward, and Jacob addressed me. "What's up Leah?"

"You mean he hasn't told you?" I asked a little more harshly than I had intended, nodding my head at Edward.

Jacob and Edward exchanged a look. "He only heard what you were talking about in the last five minutes, not why you came," he replied.

I took a calming breath, determined not to let the fear still racing through me get too strong a hold of me. There were reasons I was here, and their names were Sierra and Collin. "I need to come inside. Sam's asked me to speak to the Cullens as well."

The look on the bloodsucker's face as he turned his regard onto me said that Edward was picking my brain, which was annoying. I wondered how anyone could stand living with him-I would hate having the privacy of my thoughts invaded on a constant basis. Then I remembered that Bella had some sort of special ability that kept him out, and I wished I had one like it so I could slam a mental door in his face. He must have picked that thought up as well; I saw his lips twitch as though he were fighting a smile.

_Good_, I thought sourly.

Only seconds had passed. Edward must have also found whatever he was looking for inside my head, for he said, "Please, come inside."

He turned and walked into the house. I started forward, with Leland following behind me. Jacob brought up the rear as we entered the house. By the time we entered the living room, the entire family had gathered. Jacob moved to join Bella and Renesmee on the couch, sandwiching the little girl between him and her mother.

"Leah has a message from Sam Uley," Edward said, then went to stand by his wife.

I cleared my throat nervously. It wasn't often I walked into the leeches' nest voluntarily, and I hadn't actually been here in almost three years. But I had come with a purpose, and far too much time had been wasted already. I had to stop worrying about myself and what might happen-finding Sierra was more important. I presented the same information that Sam had given me, not bothering to water it down for Leland's sake now that he knew everything. I didn't hide the fact that something bad happening to Sierra was bad news for Collin and for Sam's pack. Whether or not he walked away, he was a part of this business now, and he needed to know everything about it.

Carlisle Cullen stepped forward when I had finished. "Of course we will help. I consider the members of both packs friends-extended family, even, given the circumstances."

He glanced over at Jacob when he said the last part. Jake stood, saying, "You definitely got me."

"Carlisle is right," said Esme.

"We'll have to stick to the woods and mountains," Jasper spoke up. "The weather report said the clouds are supposed to break today."

"If you have a picture of her, I can try to see her future," said Alice. "I can't guarantee it, of course, what with her connection to the wolves, but I'm willing to try."

"Something she wore recently would help, too," added Emmett. "Then we'd have her scent to search for."

I felt a sudden rush of gratitude toward people I had until that moment only tolerated because I had to. They had just arrived in town yesterday-Bella might not have even seen Charlie yet-and here they were, willing to help the pack find a missing bondmate. I wondered if perhaps it was time I reevaluated my attitude towards them, as I'd had to do toward so many other things.

Of course, not all of us were that willing to change, it seemed. Rosalie sniffed and said, "I think I should stay here with Nessie."

"But I wanna help too!" the child protested.

I looked at her, unable to help marveling at how a child who was only approaching her third birthday could look like she was approaching her eighth.

Edward shook his head. "Your aunt is right, Nessie."

"You'll give us something to come home to, sweetie," Bella added. Her daughter looked about to protest, but instead remained silent.

"Hey, we should get going," Jacob said. "Obviously none of us has a picture or a piece of her clothing."

"I don't either," I said. "Mom took a picture of her to Charlie so that the Forks cops could join in the search, but I'd have to go back to the rez for another. Of course, I don't know how I'm going to get a hold of something she wore."

"I'll go back to the reservation with you. The Cullens can meet me at the border, and I'll bring the picture to them. I'll go to Collin's while I'm there-no doubt he's got something of hers with her scent on it."

"Or something of his," Leland offered, speaking for the first time in a while. "Teenage girls are always wearing their boyfriends' clothes."

"Good point," conceded Jacob.

We all started to move toward the front door, but then I stopped and turned back to them. I had to say something.

"This might seem strange to you, coming from me, but I want to say thank you," I said, looking at each of the Cullens in turn. "It means a lot that you're so willing to help."

"Any time you need us, even if we're in New Hampshire, you have only to call," Carlisle said solemnly.

I received nods of affirmation from everyone, and so I turned and headed out the door. We split into two groups once we got outside, the vampires heading for the woods while Jacob, Leland and I headed for the Thunderbird.

"Uh, there's no way I'm going to be able to ride in that," Jacob said, pointing out that the car had no back seat for him to sit in.

"You have a point. I didn't think of that," I said.

He shrugged. "I'll just phase. I'll hit Collin's place first and then meet you at your place before I head out to meet the Cullens."

I nodded my agreement, waving as he threw me a lopsided smile and turned away, jogging off toward the woods.

Leland and I got back in the car and started back down the long, winding driveway. He was silent until we had reached the road and were on our way back to the reservation.

"I'm a little confused," he began. "Why are you so worried about this Collin kid? His girlfriend is the one that's missing, right?"

I glanced over. "Collin's a shapeshifter - one of our wolves. He imprinted on Sierra."

Leland shrugged. "So?"

I turned slightly in my seat so that I was facing him. I decided to explain imprinting again, because I wanted him to understand what we were dealing with. "I told you before that we don't know why we imprint. No one living can tell us, and it's like your grandfather said last night: too many of the old stories have been lost. What we do know is based on conjecture and our own experiences, mostly the latter. Actually, one of the other wolves-his name is Embry-imprinted on a girl from Ireland. I met her yesterday, and she used a couple of terms that seem to apply a lot more than 'imprint' does."

"Like what?"

"She said each person a wolf imprints on is his bondmate, and the process is called pair-bonding. Ever since I heard them, those are the words I think of, because in truth, the process does a lot more to a wolf than we knew at first. He imprints the first time he sees his bondmate after his first phase, usually when looking into her eyes-which are, metaphorically, the windows to the soul."

"Probably why the two are called soul mates," Leland said sardonically.

I ignored his tone and continued. "It could be someone he knows or it could be a complete stranger. The wolf feels a sensation that's hard to put into words, but it's been described as having all the ties to the people, places, and things in your life severed, and then having all those threads weave together into one powerful, unbreakable cord that ties you to that person. You know you're here for that one person, that he's as perfect for you as you are for him, and your sole purpose in life is to make sure he's happy, and safe from harm."

A muscle twitched in his jaw when I said 'he,' and I found myself fighting a sudden surge of annoyance-then recalled some of the stories the others had told of their experiences. Was it possible we had bonded so closely that his moods were already affecting mine?

I pushed the thought aside and went on, though I did use different pronouns. "Pair bonding, the boys have learned, has proven to have more of an effect on the wolf than we knew it would," I repeated. "From the beginning we've known that, in human form, he is compelled to pursue her and finds it difficult to be away from her, even for short periods of time. He's very affectionate and attentive. He's sensitive to her needs, her desires, and her feelings. The more time they spend together, the more the girl's moods begin to affect him. If the girl was unhappy, the wolf was unhappy, and a wolf in a bad mood-or worse-could be a detriment to his pack."

Leland spared me a glance. "How so?"

"Because in wolf form each member of a pack is linked telepathically. It can be a pain when your thoughts aren't your own, and some wolves-" _like me_, "-have been known to abuse the link in order to punish people they were mad at within the pack. But there are cases when it can be a help instead of a hindrance, such as during a battle, or in this case, a search. They can spread out miles from each other and still keep in contact-actually, it's why we needed Jacob more than anything."

"I give up. Why?"

"For the first time there are two packs, and it's not because there are so many wolves-twenty, in case you were wondering. Sam became the de facto leader in the beginning, when there were fewer of us, because he was the first of us to change, and Jacob is the hereditary Alpha. He let Sam continue in the role of Alpha after he joined the pack because he didn't want the responsibility of having everyone's fate in his hands. But a few years ago they had a major disagreement, one that actually involved the Cullens, and the only way Jacob could stand up to Sam's authority as the elected Alpha was to embrace his birthright. Seth defected with him the first night and I followed the next day, even though they didn't really want me around."

"Why didn't Jake and Seth want you around?"

I sighed, turning in my seat to face forward once more. "Jacob and I didn't like each other back then, and Seth thought I was a pain-in-the-butt, over-protective big sister. I was also a very unpleasant person back then. I was bitter, angry, self-centered, and I had very little compassion for anyone. There was a period of time when the only person I cared about, other than my mother and my brother, was me. I cared about the pack, too, but only insofar as they were members of the tribe."

"What happened to you?" he wanted to know.

Shaking my head, I said, "To be honest with you, Leland, it's a story I'd rather not tell. I'm not proud of the person I was back then, and I'd rather you remembered me for the person you've known the last twenty-four hours. I will tell you, however, that it has a lot to do with the Cullens moving back to Forks. You see, ever since the time of Taha Aki, it's the presence of vampires that activates the shape-shifting gene. My becoming a wolf was a surprise to everyone, because there's never been a female shape-shifter before-at least that we know of. I'd already begun my decline into insanity, and then my father died, and then I became a wolf-and that only served to make things far worse.

"Anyway, by breaking off from the original pack, Seth and I severed our link to Sam's pack, but we were linked to Jacob. Separate packs, we learned, have separate pack minds, though Jacob and Sam-the two Alphas-discovered they could still hear each other. Only difference is that they don't hear every thought the other has. They can actually choose what information they want to share with one another. Jacob is still the Alpha of his pack, despite living across the country. In his absence, his boys follow Sam's orders, but they're relayed through Jacob's Third. It was my job, as his Beta, his second in command, but I'm no longer an active member of the pack, so the duty falls to Embry."

We finally pulled up in front of my house and Leland killed the engine, but made no move to get out. "I still don't quite understand why Sierra's disappearance has you and the pack-packs-so worried about Collin," he said.

I looked over again. "I guess I did get a little off track," I said sheepishly, then went on. "Do you remember how I said a wolf in a bad mood could be a detriment to the pack? That's because his being unfocused could lead to the rest of them being unfocused, because they share each other's thoughts when they're wolves. And if any form of harm comes to a wolf's bondmate-or heaven forbid, she was killed-he could very well lose his mind. That's how deep the pair-bond goes: he's linked to her mentally as well as emotionally."

Leland looked at me. "And a crazy wolf can make the rest of the pack go crazy?"

"We don't know that for sure, and no one wants to find out, that much is certain. But we do know that what affects a bondmate affects the wolf that imprinted on her-and what affects the wolf can affect the pack through the shared mind. It's hard for them all to concentrate if one of them is distracted. It's a ripple effect. One of the few stories we do have about imprinting is that of a shape-shifter who accidentally killed the mate of another. The one who lost his mate flipped out, and they engaged in a fight to the death. It nearly destroyed the pack, so now one of the most sacred edicts we have is that no wolf may harm the person another wolf has imprinted on."

"So you're saying if something has happened to Sierra, Collin could go postal?"

I nodded. "Losing it could have several consequences. It could be as mild as making the rest of Sam's pack-the one he belongs to-miserable every time he phases. Worse-case scenario is that he goes out and gets himself killed because he can't live without her. There's also the in-between risk that he could lose control of himself and phase in front of someone who's not supposed to know, because another big rule is keeping the truth a secret from outsiders."

Leland raised an eyebrow. "Aren't I an outsider?" he asked.

"No. For one thing, you're part Quileute, and likely a carrier of the wolf gene-Old Ray's father was a member of the last pack. It's no guarantee you'll turn, though if you spend an extended period of time in the area it's possible the proximity of the Cullens could activate it. But that's not what got you your invite. None of the rest of us knew until after we became wolves that the legend was true," I said.

He seemed to have relaxed a little, and though I was relieved, I didn't want to take anything for granted, so I let him absorb the last piece of information in silence.

"It's the imprinting, isn't it?" he said. "Wolves are allowed to tell their bondmates the truth?"

I nodded. "Yes. Bondmates and parents are allowed to be told, though no one else. Not even siblings. Embry's mother, for instance, isn't from our tribe, but he can tell her if he wants to. Though it's been a good three years since he first turned, and he hasn't yet."

"Why not?"

"He still says the secret is too important, although he did tell Cailin, his imprint. She took it in stride, due in large part to some similar Celtic myths that she apparently believes in."

He looked at me again, holding my gaze as if searching for something. "Why did you tell me?" he asked finally.

I looked away toward the house, noting absently that Mom wasn't back yet, then down at my hands resting in my lap. "I was afraid to tell you the truth, to be honest, because I was afraid you wouldn't believe me or that you'd turn your back on me because I've still got that monster inside of me. No matter how long I go without phasing, it will always be there. But you were asking questions I couldn't answer without telling you something, and that made me realize I wanted to tell you everything because I didn't want to be hiding anything from you."

I shrugged. "When you leave it shouldn't affect me too much, because we haven't known each other that long. I'll be okay as long as you're happy. That's the only thing that matters."

Silence fell between us once again, agitating my already frazzled nerves. I had to take a deep breath, because I felt my eyes going wide with fighting an embarrassing prick of tears. I didn't want him to see me so upset. I didn't even know _why_ I was so upset, if all that was important was his happiness and safety…

…even if the source of that was in South Dakota.

_Good grief_, I thought. Was this what Jacob was talking about-the emotional roller coaster I'd be riding? I didn't remember any of the other wolves going through this. Then again, I hadn't really been paying attention, had I? I hadn't wanted to hear about their experiences because they were all so happy, and I was miserable. Not only had I lost Sam, but none of them had imprinted on me, nor I them, and I hadn't imprinted on anyone else. I'd have liked to just to be free of the pain-that's what I'd said to Jacob.

Part of loving someone, I'd heard, was being able to let them go. Letting them be free to make up their own mind. I realized that as much as it was hurting me, I was going to have to do that for Leland. If he stayed, there would be no reason for me to worry anymore, but if he decided he was done, then so be it. I'd check up on him from time to time, I knew, but I'd leave him alone. But the choice to stay or go had to be his.

So without saying another word, without giving him a chance to respond to my explanation, I got out of Leland's car and walked away.


	8. Chapter 7

**7. Dissemination of Information and a Little Bit of What If?**

I was halfway across the yard when Leland called out my name.

"Leah!"

I stopped but didn't turn around. I didn't know if I could handle looking at his face while he rejected me.

He'd gotten out of the car and come up behind me. "Hey, how about looking at me?"

Drawing a deep breath and releasing it slowly, I turned.

"That's better," he said. "Now why don't you give me a chance to say something?"

I raised my eyebrows. "So say something."

He frowned for a moment, then relaxed, shaking his head minutely. "Look," he began. "You've given me a lot to absorb. A lot to think about. I still have to decide whether or not I want to believe any of this stuff, you know? It's a lot to take in."

He sighed. "I need some time, okay? Just give me a little time to get used to it."

"You can have all the time you want," I said. "You've got the rest of your life. Doesn't take away from the fact that you're planning to leave in the next few days or weeks or the end of the summer and go back to South Dakota. Its best I get used to that now."

"I thought imprinting was a lifelong thing, like wild wolves, who mate for life?" Leland queried.

I nodded. "It is. And you'll be the sole focus of my life no matter where you are. But there's a first time for everything, I suppose."

"What does that mean?"

"You can decide you don't want to be involved with me, in any way. Every imprint has that right. Just like the girls who are near in age to the wolves, or the ones who are still children," I explained.

He blinked. "There are children involved? How the hell did that happen?"

_Looks like I'm going to have to repeat myself. Again_. Sighing, I said, "Imprinting is involuntary, remember? We don't choose when, or on whom, we imprint. Fate, or destiny, or God - take your pick - decides for us. Three of the twelve who have imprinted did so on young children. Quil's bondmate was two at the time, Mikah's was seven, and Jacob's was less than ten minutes old."

His eyes widened to saucer size. "A newborn baby? Are you kidding me?" he asked, his tone incredulous.

"She's a vampire-human hybrid, technically. And I can't believe I'm about to say this, but it's a good thing he did," I retorted. "Otherwise there would most certainly be less than twenty wolves, and the Cullens would be down by at least half."

His expression changed. "Wait-that's what it was about, isn't it? The fight that led Jacob to defect?"

"Yes," I replied. "When we found out that Bella was pregnant by Edward-she was still human at the time-Sam went on the offensive. Or tried to. No one had ever heard of such a thing happening, or even being possible. Vampires were one thing to have to defend against, but whatever that thing was? No one knew what it would do or be capable of. We were afraid for our families, our tribe. We didn't know at the time that she would be a hybrid, a child with both vampire and human characteristics.

"Sam wanted to attack the Cullens and destroy Bella's baby. Jacob thought it was wrong to act until we knew what we were dealing with. He believed it was wrong to turn on our allies and blindside them with a blitz attack they would never have expected, or seen coming until it was almost too late. Sam overruled him with the Alpha voice, the one that every wolf has to obey. Jacob realized the only way to stop him from making a huge mistake was to stand up to him, and the only way he could do that was to accept the fact that he'd been born to lead. To be an Alpha."

I paused for breath, then continued. "In accepting who and what he was born to be, Jacob separated himself from the pack mind. All Seth and I, and later Embry and Quil, had to do was decide which Alpha we wanted to follow and pledge our loyalty to. Though most of the wolves that came after allied with Sam, eventually we got three more in our pack. It's just a coincidence that the three with young bond-mates are all in Jacob's pack. Quil had already imprinted on Claire before defecting to Jacob's pack, and Mikah imprinted on Ayana after joining.

"The point is that Jacob imprinting on Nessie just minutes after she was born was a blessing. It automatically ended the feud between Jacob and Sam, because he and the others couldn't hurt her without violating the edict of not harming another wolf's imprint. It also made our treaty with the Cullens stronger than ever and saved more than a dozen lives."

Leland looked surprised. "You guys had a treaty with the Cullens? I wondered how you all became involved with them in the first place. You said vampires are the enemy of the wolves-that they're the only reason the wolves exist now. To protect human life."

Hadn't I told him about the treaty? No, I realized. On the drive over to the Cullens', I'd only explained the basics, which was that vampires were real, some of the Quileutes, including myself, could turn into gigantic wolves, and a little bit about imprinting, so he would understand why Jacob was living with the Cullens. I wondered who he thought Jacob had imprinted on, if he hadn't realized it was one of them.

"Okay, I told you that the Cullens abstain from human blood-they feed on animals. Well, about seventy-five years ago, they had unknowingly trespassed on Quileute land while hunting. Members of the last pack, led by Jacob's great-grandfather Ephraim, discovered them, but the Cullens managed to convince them that they were no threat to the tribe or other humans. They made a treaty that stated if the Cullens stayed off of Quileute land and didn't bite any humans, they would let them live in peace and wouldn't expose what they really were. When the new wolves began emerging, we were determined to honor the treaty as long as they did. Vampires that hunt humans are a different story. They're fair game."

I realized then that it was the second time his questions had thrown me off track. For a split second I wondered if perhaps, this time at least, he had done it on purpose. But why bother distracting me from the discussion we'd been having? What was the point of delaying the inevitable?

"Look, Leland," I said resignedly. "I would apologize for dragging you into this craziness if I'd had any choice in the matter. But I didn't, and you do. So if you do decide to-"

He hushed me by pressing a finger to my lips, and I was so surprised by it that I fell silent immediately. When he appeared certain I'd remain so, he let his hand fall back to his side.

"I said I needed some time to get used to all this," he said. "That includes the part about us being perfect for each other. Made specifically for one another, isn't that what you said?"

I felt a flush heat my cheeks. "Yeah. That's how it goes, so they say." Then I shrugged. "Then again, even as much as I was hoping this would happen, I didn't really think it would. I'm a blind woman in a snowstorm, here, Lee. I was too wrapped up in my own world for too long to care about the experiences of the boys who were going through it in the beginning, and I've been too envious of the ones who've imprinted in the last few years to pay much attention to them, either. I don't know what to say, or think, or do."

I looked up then, into his eyes. "I only know how being with you makes me feel, and how the thought of you walking away from me scares me half to death."

"Ahem."

The tense moment was interrupted by the arrival of Jacob, who, for his part, looked like he'd rather be just about anywhere else right then. He'd had to clear his throat to get our attention.

"I, uh, just came from Collin's place. Actually ran into his mother there, so I got lucky in finding something of his that Sierra's worn, and hasn't been washed yet," he said, holding up a hoodie with the Nike emblem on it.

"And the vampires will be able to sniff her out just from that?" Leland asked.

"If the scent trail's not too faded, yeah," Jacob replied. "Anywhere she's been, they'll be able to smell it. So will we - well, those of us that are wolves, anyway. Sam's sending Collin and a couple other guys to Sierra's place in La Push so that they can get something with her scent on it, too. Emmett had a good idea."

"How is Collin doing?" I asked.

Jacob grimaced. "Holding together, Sam says. Kinda frantic, but still keeping it cool."

I got the feeling there was an unspoken _for now_ at the end of that last statement, but didn't acknowledge it.

"Oh," he said suddenly, reaching into the back pocket of his shorts. "Aunt Connie gave me a couple pictures, so you ain't gotta go hunting for one."

I took the picture he handed me. Sierra Bivens was a beautiful girl, with long, straight black hair and the dark copper skin of a Southern-states Indian.

"We should head into La Push or Port Angeles, show that around," Leland suggested.

"Port Angeles might be a good idea," Jacob said with a nod. "Sierra's family and the LP cops probably got La Push pretty much covered."

"And Mom and Charlie will have Forks covered," I added, then looked at Leland. "You sure you still want to do this?"

"Leah, we've got … issues, things we still need to work out. But that's not important right now. That missing girl is," he told me.

He was right, of course. But I felt some measure of relief that he wasn't rescinding his offer to help look for Sierra just because I'd dropped a napalm bomb into his lap.

I chanced a tentative smile. "I know," I said. "But I had to ask. And thanks again for helping us out when you could be using this time getting to know your grandfather."

His shrug was nonchalant. "Now that there's a chance of that, I feel safe taking some time to do something else that's worthwhile. I think he'll understand, and if he's as closely involved with this wolf thing as you said, he'd probably suggest I help out anyway. I think."

"He probably would," Jacob put in. "He and Old Quil are the oldest members of the tribal council. They're both big supporters of the packs and their mates.

"Anyhow, I better get going and get this stuff to the Cullens. Good luck, guys,"

We watched as Jacob took off for the woods and disappeared. "What do they do with their clothes when they change?" Leland asked me.

"Most of the time the boys run around in nothing but boxers and a pair of shorts, and shoes; they carry a rope with which they can tie their clothes around a leg-which is a trick to learn," I explained. "Sometimes they disrobe in the woods and just come back to that spot later. Phasing while still dressed destroys everything you're wearing."

He looked over with a curious expression. "What about when you want to change back and you've destroyed what you were wearing?"

"Two options: Phase back and run as fast as you can into your house, or hope someone left clothes out for you to put on."

Laughing, Leland turned back for his car. "Time to boot up your computer, navigator. I don't actually know how to get to Port Angeles."

After giving him directions on how to get to Port Angeles, Leland only asked one more question. "You said the name of Jake's imprint was Nessie - wasn't that the little girl at the Cullen house?"

I nodded. "Her full name is Renesmee. Everyone calls her Nessie for short. She's not even three yet, but you wouldn't know it just by looking at her. Right now she looks about eight years old. The accelerated growth has something to do with the mixed DNA, or so Dr. Cullen believes. We've only met one other hybrid who says he has three sisters that are also hybrids. According to him, she ought to be full grown by the time she's seven. Afterward, just like a vampire, she won't age. That in turn means Jacob will probably never stop phasing, because if he does, he'll start aging again."

He didn't reply to that, just nodded contemplatively. We fell into a … well, I don't know if I'd call it a tense silence, but it wasn't entirely companionable, either. We were like strangers almost, each of us riding along lost in our own thoughts. I wondered at and was afraid of what Leland was thinking. Was he going to accept the truth and remain a part of my life, or was he planning to deny it all and run back to South Dakota, where I'd have to watch over him from afar? Because I had already decided that I wasn't going to follow him, not without an invitation. If he decided all the supernatural elements were just too much for him to handle and he wanted out, I was going to accept it with as much grace as I could possibly muster.

Good heavens, I mused as I blindly watched the scenery go by. Was this what it was like for all of them-or at least the ones who'd imprinted on people their own age? Had they all felt, as I did now, the same indescribable joy at being with The One, mixed with a dose of absolute dread that they were going to walk away? Certainly the girls, even ones like Rachel and Kim, who'd grown up hearing some of the stories, had found it difficult to accept the truth. Imprinting, it seemed, was not all sunshine and roses.

At least not in the beginning. All the older girls had eventually grown accustomed to the fact that their guys became giant wolves. Would Leland? Even though I wasn't active anymore, would he accept the fact that it would always be a part of me? That my need of him wasn't of my choosing? I'd accepted that the choice of my 'perfect mate' had been taken away from me, but would he?

Ugh, this was going to drive me nuts. I had to stop torturing myself with all the questions and worries and fears. I knew that I had to accept whatever decision Leland made, even if that decision took him away from me. I thought about that for a moment, about the possibility of his returning to South Dakota alone. I thought of the pictures he had shown me, of his sister and his godfather, and the smiles everyone in those pictures wore. He had family and he had friends back home that made him happy, that brought him joy, and that comforted him when he was hurting. He didn't need me.

_But I need him_.

No, I told myself firmly. What I needed was for him to be happy. Above all, I really did want what was best for him, and if that equation didn't include me, then so be it.

A sudden peace filled me, and I knew that it was because, once again, I had accepted that the choice wasn't mine. I'd been telling myself over and over again throughout the morning that as long as he was happy and safe it was okay if he left me, but until that moment, I hadn't _accepted_ it. I hadn't made peace with it. I realized then that I finally had, and knowing that I had overcome yet another struggle brought a smile to my face.

"Why are you so happy all of a sudden?" Leland asked.

Because his tone indicated he was genuinely curious, I looked over and replied, "Acceptance."

He frowned. "Acceptance of what?"

"That sometimes the choice just isn't mine, and there's nothing I can do about it."

He glanced sidelong at me. "This is about us again, isn't it?"

We were in Port Angeles now, and I waited until he'd found a good place to park before I answered.

"Yeah, it is," I said as we were getting out of the car. I faced him as he came around the front end to stand before me. "Leland, I'm not trying in any way to put pressure on you. I've had a lot to think about too, and I've just had to realize that whatever you decide to do, I'm going to be okay with it. I want you to make the choice that is right for you, and if that means returning to your life in South Dakota, then that's what you do."

"Even if it's without you?" he asked.

I nodded, and for once there was no pain in the action. I'd truly made my peace with the situation, I realized, if I could say yes to that question and not hurt.

"Yeah," I said. "Even if it's without me."

He looked at me for a long moment before saying, "You're a lot farther along than I am. I still don't know what to think."

I held up the picture of Sierra that Jacob had gotten from Collin's mother. "Why don't we put it aside for a while and see if anyone around here has seen Sierra?"

Leland nodded. "Sounds good to me, though I'm honestly not sure whether we should hope they have or haven't."

I nodded my agreement, and we began walking, stopping in every restaurant and business that catered to teenagers and showing Sierra's picture. We showed it at the movie theater, fast food restaurants, the arcade, and several stores at a strip mall. We even stopped in the Thunderbird and Whale bookstore on the wharf, even though it was somewhat out of the way. Some of the managers of the stores we visited asked if they could copy the picture, so that they could show it to the rest of their staff and everyone would know to look out for her. We also stopped and asked strangers on the street if they had seen her. For more than three hours we walked around the business district and social center of the city, before heading back to the car.

"What about going to PACC? Port Angeles Community College, I mean," I said. "Summer semester hasn't started yet, but there's bound to be people there."

Leland climbed into the driver's seat. "Why not? We've been everywhere else that seems reasonable."

It was only about fifteen minutes' drive from where we'd parked to the campus, so I was soon looking on familiar buildings I'd thought I would never have to see again. I could look at them now not just with a sense of purpose, but one of accomplishment-coming to this school had been a life-saver for me. It had given me a direction and a distraction, and in being just what I needed, it showed me what I wanted to do with my life. I almost laughed with the realization that I'd been seeing so many things much more clearly just in the last day, and I had Leland to thank for it. Some things, like my thought about one day taking my mother's place on the tribal council, was still an idea germinating in the back of my brain, but his appearance in my life had showed me that it and so many other things were possible.

Though there were certainly fewer people than had been here just a few days ago, there were teens and adults drifting around. I guided Leland first to the campus bookstore, where I had worked up until three days ago to pay for the cheap apartment I had in the city, which I'd shared with a friend. I'd mentioned that briefly to Leland on the way to the school and he asked why we didn't go by there. I told him it was because I'd never actually met Sierra, so there was no reason for her to even have been told where I'd lived.

We parked in front of Meyer Hall, where the bookstore was located, and went inside. I was immediately assaulted by an exuberant hug from one of my former classmates.

"Leah Clearwater!" Kyle Pressman exclaimed, holding me at arm's length. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

He was with his best friend, Jason Wheeler, who also hugged me as I greeted them. "Guys, you saw me three days ago," I reminded them.

"Yeah, but we thought you were blowing this popsicle stand," Jason replied. "You said you were heading home for the summer, then maybe off to a bigger college to finish your degree."

"I still might - go to a bigger college, that is. And I did go home," I said.

I noticed Kyle, who'd actually asked me out a few times, eyeing Leland with an expression I could have sworn was a mix of curiosity, jealousy, and maybe even a little bit of fear. A glance out of the corner of my eye told me why I saw that miniscule hint of fear: Leland suddenly looked about ready to throttle someone - Kyle and Jason in particular - though I could not even begin to fathom why.

Brushing my curiosity about Leland's expression aside, I pulled out the picture of Sierra. "Guys, my friend and I are looking for this girl," I said, holding out the photo. "She's disappeared. Either of you been to La Push in the last day? She started working at the Waffle Cone on the Sandy Beach boardwalk yesterday, but she never made it home after her shift."

Both guys looked at the picture and shook their heads. "Love the Waffle Cone, but I haven't been to La Push in weeks," said Jason. "Ain't seen her around here that I know of, either."

Kyle shook his head. "Me neither, Leah. Sorry."

"Do you know if Mr. Lewis is in?" I asked.

"Who is Mr. Lewis?" Leland said.

I looked at him. "He's the manager of the bookstore. I thought I'd ask if he would post the picture here."

"Haven't seen him. But Lucy's working today," Kyle told me. "I'm sure she'd at least copy it and leave it for him. And you know Mr. Lewis would do anything for you."

I did know that. Vernon Lewis liked my dependability, organizational skills, willingness to do extra work, stay longer, help with inventory and cleanup… He'd liked me so much that he had once jokingly said if he were thirty years younger, he would be tempted to ask me out. I told him his wife would have a problem with that, as they'd been married for forty years, and he'd laughed.

"What about the school cafeteria?" I queried. "Do you think they'd be willing to post it there?"

Jason shrugged. "Couldn't hurt to ask."

I went with the two over to the checkout counter, where I was greeted by Lucy Cain, a girl I had worked with in the bookstore. After explaining once again that we were looking for the girl in the picture, she readily took it in the back and made a couple of photocopies. On both I wrote down Sierra's name and asked that anyone who saw her give the La Push Police a call, like I had done at the businesses in town.

Kyle then said that he and Jason were on their way to the cafeteria for lunch, and invited us to join them. One look at Leland told me that doing so would be a bad idea-he still had that mysteriously murderous look on his face. I declined politely but promised that I'd give them a call about hanging out sometime soon. Jason took the other photocopied picture of Sierra and promised that they would check with the cafeteria manager about posting it. The four of us parted and Leland and I headed out to his car.

"Who were those guys?"

I glanced at Leland as I got into the convertible. "Kyle and Jason are friends of mine. I had a bunch of classes with them."

Leland sniffed derisively as he got in and started the car. "I don't like they way they were hanging all over you. Or the way that short one was staring at you."

I could feel my eyes widening in surprise. _Where the hell is this coming from?_ I wondered. Just a few hours ago he had told me that he still didn't know what to think about the news I had told him that morning, and now he was acting like he was jealous. I would have laughed had the situation not been so surreal.

"Leland, they hugged me. Friends do hug each other," I said slowly as we were moving out of the parking lot. "It's not a big deal."

"Well it's a big deal to me!" he retorted, nearly shouting.

Then he looked stunned at his own reaction, and glancing over he said, in a much more normal voice, "I'm sorry. I don't know where the heck that came from."

"I don't get it either," I said honestly. "They're just two guys I happen to know, and it's not like you're my…" I stopped. I didn't want him to think I hadn't been honest before when I said I didn't want to pressure him, so I didn't say the word I'd been about to say.

Instead, he said it for me. "Boyfriend?" he suggested. I nodded sheepishly, and Leland smiled. "I know I'm not. I've got no right getting jealous, but… That's the only word I can think of to describe it. That little one was looking at you like he wanted you and at me like I was in the way. And all of a sudden I just felt this urge to…"

This time I finished for him. "Pound his face in? Yeah, I noticed."

"Can't rightly defend what's mine if it ain't mine," he said, in a voice so low I almost thought I was hearing things. I mean, he almost sounded like he actually wanted to change that, but I let it go without saying the first thing that popped into my head as a response: _Well, you know what to do to fix that_.

No, what I did say was much worse.

"You can if you want to make it yours," I heard myself say, and a hand flew to my mouth. I felt another flush heating my face as I fervently wished I could take the words back.

Leland chuckled. "Good point," he conceded, but didn't elaborate.

By then we were already on the main road headed back into Port Angeles. I noticed he was taking me back into the city, and my curiosity overrode my embarrassment enough for me to ask where we were going.

"I don't know about you, but I haven't eaten since this morning," he replied. "I'm starving."

I thought about it, and a brief image of my mother setting a plate of pancakes in front of me flashed across my memory. Had I actually eaten any of them? I wondered, then recalled that all I'd actually ingested that morning before Sam had appeared was two swallows of orange juice. The emptiness of my stomach suddenly made itself known with a hollow feeling.

"I'm hungry too," I said finally.

I told him about a small Italian bistro I'd gone to before with some of my friends from college-though I didn't mention that Kyle and Jason had been among them. He agreed that Italian was a good choice and I told him how to get there. It didn't take him long to find it, and soon we were seated at a table in the corner. A waitress handed us menus, from which we ordered quickly, before she left us alone.

"Leah," Leland began with an indrawn breath, "I have a confession to make."

Curiosity battled with wariness as I looked at him. "What's that?" I asked.

"From the first moment I looked at you coming toward me on the side of that road, I've wanted you."

I don't think anything could have prepared me to hear that declaration.

"You … have?"

He laughed. "Don't sound so surprised, honey," he said. "You can't tell me no man's ever called you gorgeous."

Sam used to say all the time while we were dating how beautiful he thought I was. The boys in the pack that had unfortunately caught a glimpse of my nude body at some point had not been able to hide the thoughts of what an "awesome" body I had. And Kyle Pressman was only one of several of the guys I'd met at PACC that had asked me out on numerous occasions.

But hearing it from Leland seemed to give it an altogether different meaning, in that, for the first time since Sam, it actually meant something to me.

I only nodded, though, and said, "A few."

The waitress came with our sodas and told us that our food would be out in just a little while. Leland and I both thanked her and she left again.

"That's not everything," Leland went on.

I raised an eyebrow. "There's more?"

Leland nodded. "I remember looking at you in that first moment and thinking, 'Damn, she's hot.' Then I thought, 'I have to have her.' And I'm not saying that like some guy that's just after one thing-I just know that I felt that I _had_ to have you. And quite frankly, the strength of that feeling threw me. Then I saw how you were with Jacob, and although I'm fairly certain neither of you noticed, I had the same feeling of jealousy and possessiveness that I just felt a little while ago. It kinda freaked me out a little."

He sighed. "I don't think I've ever felt those emotions as powerfully as I have in the last day, not even when guys flirted with my girlfriends right in front of me."

I was surprised to hear that. "Never?"

Shaking his head he took a drink of his soda before he replied. "No. I also remember feeling like I had to prove myself to you, to prove I was better than Jacob. Sounds so stupid now. I mean, I'd just met you and you had already told me you guys were just friends. I just…"

He shook his head again, and stared at the glass he held between his large hands. "I don't get it," he said. "It's really weird having all these crazy feelings-like I absolutely have to have you and don't want anyone else to, and how I always want to be with you. I've honestly been trying not to think about them because I'm so freaked out. Being turned away by Grandfather actually helped, because I focused on that for a long time, and on taking care of the last of my parents' ashes. But then you were with me again. And when you were about to get out of the car after we'd gone to La Push, I … I felt like I was losing you."

He was interrupted again by the arrival of our order. A plate of chicken parmesan was placed in front of me and another of fettuccine alfredo in front of Leland, though neither of us made an immediate move to eat.

"When you told me about the wolves and the imprinting and everything, it got me wondering-what if that was happening to me? But then I remembered you saying it only happened to the wolves _after_ they'd phased the first time. So I said I needed time because I wanted to try and figure out what the hell was happening to me before I could even begin to process what you'd told me. It's not that I thought you were crazy and didn't believe you, because it all was too fantastic to not be real. I just got even more confused, you know?

"And then we were doing all that walking around earlier, and I'm trying to concentrate on how we need to find this girl, this missing teenage girl, and all I can think about is how all these guys are staring at you and I kept thinking how could they not see that you were with me? And then those guys in the bookstore…"

Leland made a noise like he was disgusted with himself, and pushed his plate away as though he'd lost his appetite. Then he looked at me again and I saw something I never would have expected I would see in a guy who was easily six-foot-four and two hundred ten pounds of pure, lean muscle.

I saw fear.

"Leah, something is going on with me, something very weird, and it's freaking me out," he said again. "It's not that I don't want to believe you, because I'm pretty sure I already do. But if what happened to you isn't what's happening to me, then what the hell is it?"

He chuckled mirthlessly. "I must look so pathetic to you right now," he said derisively.

I reached across the table for his hand. "No, you do not look pathetic, Leland," I said firmly. "I just think that something we don't understand is happening to you. It could be that you're getting close to phasing. After all, with the rest of us, we went through an increase in strength and body temperature and fits of temper right before our first phase."

"But you said it was after a lengthy exposure to the presence of the vampires," he said. "And I've only met them once. Has it ever happened this quickly before?"

"To be honest, no," I admitted. "For all of us, it took years, though the more of them there are, the more of us there were-and we maxed out at twenty two summers ago. But I suppose there's a first time for everything. Plus…"

A sudden and shocking thought occurred to me. I could hardly believe it at first, but what other explanation could there be?

"Plus what?" Leland pressed.

I looked at him. "You have mixed DNA."

He frowned. "So what?"

I grabbed his other hand, holding both of his in mine as I said, "Leland, your mother once told my mom that her father said a raven could not marry a wolf. You know our wolf legend is real; what if the thunderbird legend about the raven is true as well? What if you _are_ about to phase-just not into a wolf?"

He stared at me wide-eyed for a long moment. "I … I suppose it's possible, but how in the world do we find out? My parents are dead."

I considered briefly that we could ask his godfather, but then dismissed that thought, remembering that Branson Greatwood was Lakota, not Haida.

"Do you have any relatives living on your mother's side of the family? It's possible one of them would know," I suggested.

He nodded. "I have some cousins, a few aunts and uncles. In fact, my cousin Meiko is the headman of the tribe. He's a decent guy, from what I remember from my trip up there."

I brightened. "Then if it is true, I'm sure he would know. I mean, it makes sense he would, given that the Quileute tribal elders all knew about our wolf legends being true, and none of them had ever been wolves."

With an idea in mind of what was happening to him and a possible avenue to follow for answers, Leland began to relax. He smiled and, after giving my hands a gentle squeeze, he released them and drew his plate toward him. I smiled as well, and for a few minutes, we each concentrated on eating the food we'd basically ignored for nearly ten minutes. I was taking a drink of soda some time later when he surprised me by reaching for my free hand and twining his fingers with mine.

I tilted my head, my gaze curious as he lifted my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "What was that for?" I asked.

"For being there for me, both last night and today," he said. "For giving me time to think, and for helping me to figure out what's going on with me."

"We might be wrong," I pointed out.

Leland shrugged. "Whether we are or not, I do know one thing for sure now," he said, holding my gaze. "I'm not going to ignore the feeling drawing me toward you-I want to defend what's mine. And that's you, if you'll have me."


	9. Chapter 8

**8. Turning Points**

On the way back to the reservation, Leland and I talked more about shape-shifting and the changes I had gone through before and after my first phase. We were both of the opinion that he might well be on the cusp of phasing for the first time…

…we just didn't know into what.

I remembered the debate Seth, Embry and Cailin had engaged in the day before, about whether being a dragon was better than being a wolf. Now I was wondering whether or not my bondmate was going to become a wolf or a raven, and mentioning this to Leland, we discussed the pros and cons of both. We wondered if raven shape-shifters-if they were as real as the Quileute wolves-experienced imprinting in any form, and would it be possible for him to imprint on me even though I had already imprinted on him. The more we discussed the possibility, the more determined he became to find out if the Haida legend was more than just an old campfire story, and declared he would be calling his cousin Meiko as soon as he got back to his grandfather's house.

I noticed a change as we talked. Both of us were completely relaxed with one another, feeling free to discuss whatever was on our minds. He steered the classic car with one hand and held my left in his right, as if he never wanted to let me go again. I was thrilled to have that contact as well, and was one again filled with contentment. There were no more barriers between us, no more secrets. He knew everything there was to know about me-I even told him all about my former relationship with Sam-and still he wanted me. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

Of course, having concluded that he was seeing the attention other men paid to me as competition didn't stop it from happening. When we were leaving the restaurant, a couple of men walking by on the sidewalk had looked at me appreciatively, and I watched Leland's expression darken. When we got to my house at last, Charlie Swan's Forks Police cruiser was in the drive behind my car, and he and Mom were getting out of it.

"Hello, Leah," Charlie said to me.

I watched Leland out of the corner of my eye. It was happening _again_-he was getting that look on his face that bespoke of a desire to defend his claim on me. I quickly made the introductions, adding that Charlie was my mother's boyfriend. The last bit of information helped Leland to relax.

I then turned to my mother. "Mom, where's your car?"

"Blasted thing got a flat tire, and I don't have a spare," she said. "I need a whole new set anyway, but the tire shop didn't have any in the size I need, though they checked and there's some coming in a shipment they're getting tomorrow. The car's staying in town at the police station until I can get the new tires."

"I figured it was the least I could do to drive your mother home," Charlie added.

"Well, thank you, Chief, but you know you could have called me, Mom," I said.

She nodded. "I know, honey, but I knew you were with Leland and looking for Sierra, and I just didn't think it was that big a deal to drag you away from that. How did it go?"

I described our trip to Port Angeles, leaving out the parts about Leland possibly being a shape-shifter due to Charlie standing there. Leland filled in some of the gaps, mentioning that we'd also managed to get some copies of the picture we'd gotten from Jacob posted around the city and at the community college.

Charlie nodded. "I've spoken with the La Push police. They're posting flyers and canvassing the area around the boardwalk. I've also got some of my officers posting pictures of Sierra Bivens all around Forks," he told us.

"Have you heard from Jacob or Sam, or any of the others?" I asked my mother.

Mom shook her head. "I heard from Mrs. Wakefield and I've spoken to Mrs. Bivens. No one has any news on Sierra."

She turned to Charlie. "I'll be seeing you later?"

Charlie smiled. "If you still plan to save me from having to cook for myself, you bet. I'll come back around six to pick you up."

Mom smiled, blushing a little, which she had a tendency to do around Charlie, I'd noticed. She stood up on her toes and kissed his cheek, then said, "I'd better get inside and clean up the mess we left from breakfast before it draws ants. I'll see you later, Charlie."

As Mom turned and headed into the house, Leland turned to me, saying, "I'd better go, too. Got that phone call to make."

I nodded. "You're coming back over to let me know what he says, right?"

"Of course," he replied, leaning forward to kiss me. I didn't even care that we had an audience for our first true kiss-I only cared that Leland was finally touching his lips to mine. It was brief, but soft and sweet. It was perfect.

I was, however, a little surprised that Charlie was still standing there after Leland drove away. "Was there something you needed, Chief?" I asked.

Charlie put his hands on his hips, looking at the ground and clearing his throat. My eyebrows went up, my curiosity piqued as he looked at me, clearly nervous.

"Actually, yeah," he said slowly. "I'm glad I got this opportunity to talk to you-your mom says you're not home often."

"What can I do for you?"

He cleared his throat again. "Well, Leah, I… There's something I've been thinking about, for a while now. You know I care about your mom-a lot. Didn't think I was ever going to feel this way about anyone again, but I do. I love her." He smiled sheepishly under his mustache.

I was a little confused, not entirely certain where he was going with this. "Uh, I know you care about Mom, Charlie. I've gotten used to the idea of the two of you dating, and Seth doesn't really care either," I said.

"Well, it's more than that," Charlie went on. "See, what I've been thinking about is something more permanent. A lot more-I want to ask your mom to marry me, and I'd like to know how you feel about that."

Okay, _that_ I was not prepared for. Oh, I'd thought about the possibility a time or two over the last couple of years, but for him to actually talk to me about it never crossed my mind.

"You're not … asking my permission, are you?" I asked, a bubble of laughter escaping with my voice.

Charlie's face turned a little red. "Uh, well, no, not exactly," he fumbled. "I mean, of course I know I don't need it, your ma's a grown woman. But…"

His hands fell to his sides and he looked at me straight, his expression serious. "I would like your blessing, Leah. And Seth's. I just don't want you or your brother to think I'm disrespecting your dad's memory. I would never do that, 'cause Harry was the closest thing I had to a brother. One of 'em, anyway."

I looked as deep into Charlie Swan's eyes as I could, and I saw only sincerity there-not that I expected to find anything else. No matter how I'd ever felt toward his daughter, even I had to admit that he was one of the most decent and honest men I'd ever met. And heck, he was a cop, after all-the chief of police. Not many bad seeds got that far, or were perhaps one of the most beloved and respected men in his community. Charlie was a good man, and he made my mother happy. That was all that mattered, right?

So what if I'd end up in-lawed to a bunch of bloodsucking leeches?

I resigned myself quickly to that fact, and to the fact that Seth would be over the moon when he heard the news. He'd always been rather fond of the Cullens, and Edward in particular.

To Charlie, I said, "You know… There was a time in our tribe when the unmarried brother of a fallen warrior would wed the widow of that man, so that she and their children would continue to be protected and provided for. At least you don't have to worry about the kids, what with Seth and I being already grown."

I stepped closer, and realized that I was smiling. "Look, I'll admit that it took some getting used to, just thinking of my mom with someone other than my dad. But even I have to admit that you've made her happy, Charlie. You make her smile, and I think she loves you, too. So as long as you're sure you want to do this, you go right ahead."

The hands returned to his hips, and Charlie chuckled a little as he visibly relaxed. "Thank you, Leah. I appreciate your candor. And your approval. I'm gonna do right by your mom, you have my word on that."

I nodded, and with a quick nod of his own, Charlie got into his cruiser and left. I sighed and shook my head, thinking about the newest mess I'd just gotten myself into. He was going to ask Mom to marry him, possibly tonight. Definitely soon, I imagined. And Seth and I were going to be sister- and brother-in-law to Bella and Edward, at the very least. It would make us related, by marriage, to the rest of the family, as well. And Jacob, once he and Renesmee married. When wolves were imprinting on and in-lawing with their mortal enemies, one had to wonder what the supernatural world was coming to.

I shook my head again as I headed into the house, finding Mom running the disposal in the kitchen. "Sorry about breakfast," I told her.

"No need to apologize, we all pretty much forgot about it," she replied. "Besides, there were more important things to worry about."

I brought her the last of the dishes from the table, and together we set the sink up to wash them. "You have a point," I said as the water started foaming.

"What did Charlie want?" Mom asked. "I saw you two talking out there."

I wondered how to answer her without giving it away, because certainly Charlie didn't want me talking about it with Mom before he had a chance to ask her. "Uh, he just wanted to get my opinion on something," I said with a shrug, trying to keep my face neutral so that she wouldn't be inclined to press for more information. I could feel her studying me, but she didn't push-thank goodness.

"I'm glad you two are getting along," she said. "I know you don't like Bella all that much, sweetheart, or the Cullens because of what they are, but-"

"Mom," I said, turning to face her. "It's cool. Really. I might still have some issues with them, but I'm okay with Seth being pals with them or you dating the leech-girl's father. And to be honest, even my opinion might be changing."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Oh really? And what, may I ask, brought this on?"

"Well, when I went over there this morning with Sam's request for help, they didn't hesitate. Okay, the blonde did, but she's someone else with issues. Even Renesmee wanted to help, though they made her stay home with Rosalie. Emmett made a suggestion about using Sierra's scent to help track her down, which Jacob said was a good idea, and Dr. Cullen even said the packs were like extended family, through Jacob. He said that any time we needed them all we had to do was call. And I gotta admit, that all said something to me."

I shrugged. "I dunno, I guess it finally made me see that they're not so bad after all. The Cullens, anyway. Maybe even those friends of theirs in Alaska that don't hunt humans for food. I may never like them as much as Seth does, but they're not bad. They're good people." _Plus_, I added silently, _Charlie wants to marry you. Haven't got much choice but to be cool with them, do I?_

Mom put her hand to my cheek and smiled at me. "Oh, honey. How much you've grown these last few years. I'm so proud of you, and your dad would be too."

"Even though he despised vampires?" I queried.

"Your father didn't know them like we do. I think if he'd taken the time to really get to know them, he'd have come around eventually, like you have," Mom said.

I scoffed. "Like Billy Black has?"

She conceded my point with a nod, but said, "I have to believe that Billy will also come around at some point. If he doesn't, he's going to lose Jacob long before he dies of old age."

As we washed the breakfast dishes, thinking of Jacob and his relationship with Renesmee-and what that relationship might well become one day-reminded me yet again that Charlie wanted to marry my mother. I knew that Jake had shown Charlie once that he could turn into a wolf, so that Charlie would know something otherworldly was going on with Bella. He knew all he needed to know, without actually knowing everything, because the vampires had a law about secrecy that said if a human found out, they either had to join up or die. The wolves had a similar edict, as I'd explained to Leland earlier that day, that the truth about what we were had to be kept between the wolves, their parents, and their bondmates. And the tribal Elders, of course.

But I knew my mother. While she was merely dating him, she didn't have a problem with keeping certain things from Charlie, such as why it was so vital that Sierra Bivens be found, for instance. Or that Seth and I could also turn into giant wolves. Or that his daughter had married a vampire before becoming one herself. Being married to Charlie, however, would be an entirely different matter. A wife wasn't supposed to keep secrets from her husband and vice-versa, otherwise it wasn't a true partnership-that's the way my mother had been raised. It was the way she had raised my brother and me, and had been a large part of the influence of what had led me to tell Leland the truth so soon. Mom would not want to continue keeping these secrets from Charlie if he was going to be her husband. She'd want to tell him the truth-all of it. Which meant I was going to have to visit the leeches again, and prepare them for this turn of events.

Sheesh, I thought. I really had become a spokesperson.

"Leah, are you listening to me?"

I was snapped from my reverie by my mother's voice. "Sorry, Mom, what did you say?"

"I asked you how things are going with Leland. Where were you just now?" she said.

I shook my head. "I was just thinking. And Leland ... he knows the truth. About me, about vampires." I turned to her. "There's something else. He told me that he's going through something that's eerily similar to imprinting. He said he knew from the moment he saw me that he had to have me, that he doesn't like being away from me, and we discovered today that any time a man pays attention to me, he feels an overwhelming surge of possessiveness, like he has to defend what's his."

Mom's eyes widened as she put the last of the dishes in the drainer to dry and pulled the plugs to empty both sides of the sink. "Oh my," she said. "That does sound a lot like imprinting, but it doesn't seem possible. He's got the wolf gene, I'm fairly certain, but he hasn't phased even once."

I nodded. "There is that, but we also considered that the Haida tribe his mother came from may also have shape-shifters. Last night he told us a story about a raven who became a man to be with a human woman, and how their children could become ravens as well in times of danger."

"And you and I were talking just yesterday about that," Mom recalled. "We were wondering if they had such legends, remember?"

I inclined my head again. "He went to his grandfather's to call his cousin up in Alaska, who's the headman of the tribe now. He said he's going to ask him if the legends are true, because we can't think of any other reason for him to be feeling the things he has unless he's about to phase. But into what is the question."

A knock sounded at the door just then. I immediately sniffed the air, smiling as I recognized Leland's scent. Mom followed as I walked out of the kitchen and into the living room.

My smile faltered at the dark expression I saw through the screen door.

"Lee, what's wrong?" I asked, opening the door for him. "What did Meiko say?"

He glanced once at my mother, then turned to me. "It's true - all of it. Of course, the story is a little different to those 'in the know.'"

The last he said with a disgusted tone as he moved past me and dropped heavily onto our couch. I moved immediately to sit next to him, and Mom took the chair adjacent.

Leland sat with his head in his hands. "Meiko said that Thunder Spirits, as the Lakota call them, is an accurate description for the animal spirits which are so powerful they can influence mankind."

He reached blindly for my hand as his other rubbed his weary face. "In truth, the story about a raven who fell in love with a woman is only partially true. That's the version that is told publicly because it makes for a good, entertaining story. The real story is that there was once this guy named Kaigan, who had fallen deeply in love with the daughter of the headman. But he was low in status, and among the Haida, status is very important. So he prayed, begging the raven who had fathered his people to bless him so that he would be worthy of the young woman's affections. The raven came to him in a dream and said his time would come. The chance to prove himself came soon after, when the blood fiends began attacking the villagers and leaving their lifeless bodies for animals to scavenge. Kaigan, enraged when he witnessed his beloved being threatened, transformed into a massive raven, tearing apart the blood fiend with his beak and talons and scattering the parts of the creature far and wide. The people could see that he had been blessed by the raven, and so the chief, in his gratitude for Kaigan saving his daughter, gave the girl to him as a bride."

He looked between us again. "Just like with your wolves, anytime blood fiends - or vampires - move into the area near the village, the descendants of Kaigan become the embodiment of the Great Raven Spirit so that they may defend the people. Only sons, though."

"What about the way you've been feeling in the last day?" I asked. "Did Meiko have anything say about that?"

Leland nodded. "When I explained to him about the imprinting process the wolves go through, he said that ravens do experience a similar phenomenon, though usually right before their first change, not after. It is the pair-bonding which usually signals two things: that there are vampires nearby, and that the raven has found his mate. He was surprised, though, to hear about my condition. Meiko said that although I am a direct descendant of Kaigan through my mother, the females of the family almost never pass on the gene. Yet another similarity between the wolves and the ravens is that the gene is inherited through the father. So now he's theorizing that women in the family are carriers of the gene, but that in them it is always recessive." Then he laughed without humor. "Grandfather overheard my half of the conversation, and requested to speak with Meiko himself. Though he agrees that I'm on the verge of changing, he insists it is still possible the wolf spirit will defeat that of the raven."

"Naturally, he'd want you to be a wolf," my mother said. "His father was a wolf, but because you have the genes for both, they may be fighting for dominance."

Something else Leland had just said popped into my thoughts. "Didn't you just say that status is very important among the Haida?" I asked.

Leland looked at me. "Yes, and I think I know what you're getting at. It's about my mother and father, right?" I nodded. "I asked Meiko about that, as well. He confessed what my grandfather hadn't wanted to burden my father with - which was that the Whistlers did not have enough status among the Quileute for the daughter of the future chief to marry one."

"Your mother's father was going to be chief?" I wondered.

"Yes, and he did go on to become chief for a time," Leland replied. "But my father just didn't have enough social status within his own tribe to be worthy of my mother, the only child of the chief's son. Leadership of my mother's tribe is almost always inherited by sons, though my grandmother knew that with no sons, my mother would one day inherit the position, and she didn't want her to lose that by marrying below her status."

"That's so ridiculous!" I exclaimed. "Even after that man Kaigan became the husband of the chief's daughter all those years ago, she still felt that way?"

Leland scoffed. "Kaigan had been blessed by the Great Raven himself, Leah," he said.

"And your great-grandfather's cousin? She was allowed to marry Levi Uley because ... why?"

"Ellen had no chance of inheriting the leadership," my mother pointed out. "Hearing this, now I get it. It didn't have anything to do with the animal connection, though obviously Chester knew about ours or he never would have told Anita a raven couldn't marry a wolf. There was already a male heir, who is Leland's direct ancestor on his mother's side - Chester's father. Because Ellen was never going to inherit, it didn't matter who she married. But with Anita being an only child, who she married mattered a great deal."

Leland nodded. "To my grandmother, at the very least, possibly more than it would have mattered to the tribe as a whole. Grandfather said that when my mother's parents presented their case, he was greatly offended, but that eventually he went along with it because he didn't want his son to know that they considered him beneath them. It's one of the reasons he never answered my father's letters to him. He was ashamed at having given in."

"But your mom ruined her mother's plans for her when she ran away with your dad," I said. "I'll bet your grandmother was really steamed about that."

"She was. Meiko said that even when my parents made overtures of peace, she refused to speak to them. It was only Granddad who forgave them, because he could see that they were clearly in love. My birth may also have had something to do with it. Meiko is the oldest of my mother's cousins and her aunt's oldest child, which is why he inherited leadership of the tribe when my grandfather died."

Silence fell for a moment, after which my mother said, "So my future son-in-law might be turning into a giant bird… Considering my children are both giant wolves, I think I can live with that."

The three of us talked for some time, during which we discussed the possibility that because of his connection to the Raven family, Leland's condition meant that Sam could still be a carrier of the raven shapeshifting gene, and that his and Emily's children might inherit it as well. Then Leland invited me to go for a walk. We wandered the reservation for a while, holding hands and not speaking. Eventually, a question that had been sitting in the back of my consciousness would be ignored no longer, and I blurted out, "Do you regret coming here?"

Leland stopped and looked at me. "No, I don't," he said finally.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I mean, you left a good life in South Dakota, only to come here and find out that the monsters in your closet and under your bed aren't just figments of your imagination. You're more than likely going to turn into one yourself."

He gave my hand a squeeze. "I also found the perfect woman for me," he said quietly. "Admittedly, it's been a challenge to accept all of this stuff-I've had a lot of information thrown my way in the last ten or twelve hours. But how can I deny the truth when it's right in front of me? When the very thought of leaving you fills me with abject terror?"

My heartbeat increased, and a thread of hope filled me, though I tried hard to suppress it. "What does that mean?" I asked.

Leland smiled. "It means that I'm not going anywhere. I want to stay here with you. In fact, Grandfather's already invited me to stay with him, and says Shalayne is more than welcome as well."

"That's wonderful!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around his neck. "I was so afraid of what would happen, if you were going to leave." I stood back, my hands resting on his shoulders. "I know I said I was okay with it, but I was still afraid of it. And I know I could have gone with you back to South Dakota, of course, if you'd asked me to-"

"And I would love to take you there, to introduce you to Branson and the rest of my friends and extended family," Leland said. "I will, one day, but … I know how important your home and family are to you. You didn't even have to tell me, I can see it plainly whenever you talk about them. I couldn't ask you to leave that."

"And I can't ask you to leave the only home you've ever known!"

He held my face in his hands. "Leah, you haven't asked. I'm offering. It's a small price to pay to be with you."

"What about your sister? I daresay she's not going to be too happy about it-aren't you her legal guardian?" I wondered.

He nodded. "I am. And I know it's a lot to ask of her when she has only a year left of school. If she wants to stay in South Dakota, I may consider asking Branson to let her stay with him, but we'll see. Shalayne and I will have to talk about it in a few weeks when the summer program is over. I do know that she was hoping Grandfather and I would get along, because she wants to meet him."

"Maybe coming here will change her mind too, eh?" I said with a laugh, hugging him again.

"You never know," he replied, wrapping his arms around me. "It certainly changed mine."

* * *

><p>By the time we got back to my house, Seth had come home. Without even having to ask, I could see that he had no good news about Sierra.<p>

"Where's Mom?" I asked.

"Getting ready for her dinner with Charlie," my little brother replied while rummaging through the refrigerator for something to eat.

I glanced toward the back of the house, where Mom's room was, listening and trying to judge how much time I had to tell my brother about what Charlie and I had discussed. I told him the news in a hurried whisper, lest Mom come out of her room before I was finished. Seth took the news about as well as I had expected he would.

"Seriously?" he exclaimed.

I made hushing noises. "Seth, keep your voice down!" I admonished.

His expression changed. "Don't tell me-you hate the idea of being related to the Cullens," he said, glancing cautiously at Leland standing behind me.

I followed his gaze and shook my head. "No need to keep quiet about all that. Leland knows everything. In fact, it's quite possible he's going to become one of us very soon."

"Either that or a giant raven, don't forget," Leland pointed out.

Seth's gaze roamed back and forth between us, his expression incredulous. "Uh, exqueeze me, baking powder?"

He had recently discovered _Wayne's World_, a movie so ridiculous is was actually funny, and one of Wayne's favorite expressions had made its way into Seth's vocabulary. Leland and I were explaining that the story about the raven becoming a man was true (sort of) when my mother emerged from her bedroom.

She chuckled when she saw Seth's still disbelieving expression. "The world just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser, doesn't it, son?" she said with a grin.

I looked her over. Her shoulder-length hair had been brushed until it shone blue-black in the light. She wore simple silver and turquoise jewelry with a turquoise blouse and black slacks, with black flats on her feet.

I raised an eyebrow. "Mom, I thought you were just cooking dinner at Charlie's house?"

"I am, but for some reason, I just felt like dressing up a little more than usual," she said, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"I think you look lovely, Mrs. Clearwater," Leland told her.

"He's right," I agreed. "Charlie will look positively dull compared to you."

As if on cue, a car pulled up in the drive, and Mom looked out the window. "It's Charlie. You kids going to be alright for dinner?"

I waved her words off as she picked up her purse. "Mom, we'll be fine, trust me. You go and cook and do whatever it is you do over at Charlie's house."

"Leah!" Seth said in a disgusted voice.

Leland, Mom and I laughed as Charlie was seen stepping onto the porch through the open door. Mom held open the screen door before he could knock on it and he came inside.

"Wow, Sue," he said, appraising her attire. "Now I feel underdressed."

I took in the white sweater and blue jeans he was wearing, and considered that he really didn't look half bad.

"Nonsense, Charlie, you look fine," my mom told him. "Why don't we get going?"

Charlie nodded and held the door for her this time, waving at us as he followed behind her. As soon as they were off the porch, Seth turned to me.

"Think he's gonna ask her tonight?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I have no idea, though with that outfit she's wearing, he just might. How do you feel about it, Seth? If Mom says yes, I mean."

"Charlie's an okay guy," he said. "And being related to the Cullens really won't be so bad, Leah, you'll see. I mean, they live all the way across the country now, so we won't even see them that much."

"Speaking of which, how would you like to take a trip with me?" I asked.

Seth frowned. "A trip to where?"

"The Cullen house," I said. "I think we need to prepare them for the possibility that Charlie is going to marry Mom."

My brother shrugged. "What for? They ain't gonna care about being related to us. They're already related to Jake, practically."

"I'm aware of that. I know how they feel," I said in return. "But I also know how Mom feels. Keeping this supernatural stuff from Charlie now is one thing. She won't want to keep lying to him when she's married to him."

Good grief, I was already acting like it was a done deal, when I didn't know for sure my mother would even say yes. But a part of me did know, I suppose. I knew my mother's heart and how much she cared about Charlie, and I knew she would want everything out in the open before she would be able to say yes to becoming his wife.

I watched as Seth processed my words. "I suppose you got a point," he said. "But what about the vampire secrecy thing?"

I smiled. "I have an idea about that, too. But why don't we talk to them first, see what they have to say?"

Then I turned to Leland. "You don't have to come along for this. Seth and I can do it alone."

"No, I want to go. I want to see what being near them will do to me," Leland said.

I studied him for a moment and then nodded. "Alright then, let's go."

Since Leland's Thunderbird only seated two people, we took my car over to the Cullens.' Seth used his cell to call and see who was home, and learned that everyone except Jasper, Alice and Emmett had returned. He told them only that we were coming over because we had some news, and that it wasn't about Sierra.

When we arrived and were admitted into the house, we were once again led into the living room by Jacob and Edward.

"Jacob tells us you have some news you'd like to share," said Carlisle.

I nodded, then looked at Bella. "It's about my mom and your dad."

Bella's golden eyes widened. "What about them?"

Charlie's nervous declaration flashed across my mind, and I knew from the way he shifted his position that Edward had heard it. The others noticed as well, looking at him, but he gave away nothing. By his silence, I began to develop a mild appreciation for him, understanding that at least he knew when to keep his mouth shut.

He heard that, too, and smiled. "Not my news to tell, Leah," he replied quietly.

I narrowed my eyes at him, but relaxed as Bella asked again, "What about my dad?"

I looked at her, and decided to come right out with it. "He's planning to ask my mother to marry him. He told me this afternoon because he wanted to be sure I was okay with it."

Carlisle, Esme, Edward and Jacob all smiled. Renesmee whooped with joy, declaring her happiness that her grandpa was getting married. Rosalie made no comment or change of expression at all.

"Why hasn't my dad said anything to me about this?" Bella asked. "I'd think he would have before he talked to you-no offense."

"Well, given Leah's previous history," Jacob said slowly, "I imagine Charlie wanted to be sure she wouldn't … what's the best way to say this?"

"Throw a hissy fit?" Seth suggested.

I punched him lightly in the arm. "Funny, though essentially correct, I'd wager. But to be honest with you, I don't care, because he makes my mom happy, and I know he'll be good to her. It's nice knowing that she won't have to spend the rest of her life alone."

"You're really okay with being in-lawed to a bunch of filthy bloodsuckers?" Rosalie said, speaking at last.

Esme admonished her in that soft, motherly voice of hers. I looked at the blonde vampire squarely, saying, "Not entirely. I can't help feeling that it goes against the grain, but that's the wolf speaking, that's not me. I've already told you how I feel. And if Jake can handle being related to vampires, so can I. It's not like the choice is mine, anyway."

"So why did you come here to tell us this for?" the blonde vampire asked pointedly.

"Because her mother has a certain moral fiber," Edward said, earning another narrow-eyed look from me. "I'm sorry, Leah. Please, continue."

I held his gaze for a moment longer, then looked at the rest of them. "He's right. My mother handles Charlie and the supernatural side of things okay right now because he's just a friend, in a sense. When he asks her to marry him, and I don't know when that will be, she's not going to want to keep the truth from him any longer. Lying to him now can be rationalized, but the way she was raised, a wife doesn't keep secrets from her husband."

"No!" Bella exclaimed, standing. "She can't tell him about vampires-that could cost him his life!"

"Not necessarily," said Jacob. "How are the Volturi gonna find out if none of us tell them?"

"Who are the Volturi?" Leland asked.

Carlisle turned to him. "The Volturi are the coven that rules vampire society. Long ago they enacted a law stating that we were to keep our kind a secret. Any human that learns the truth about us must be turned or killed."

"And telling my father the truth could be a death sentence for him," said Bella. "She can't tell him the truth. You can't let her."

I was reminded of one of the reasons I had never cared much for Bella-her stubborn refusal to let anyone else have their way. I turned to her once again, saying, "I don't think any of us here have much choice in the matter. My mother will do as she pleases, and I'm not about to stop her. I will not ask her to go against the way her parents raised her just to keep your precious little secret safe."

"Calm down, love," Edward said, placing a hand on her arm. "Leah's right. We cannot ask Sue to continue lying to your father if she believes she must tell him everything."

"But Edward-"

"He's right, Bella," added Carlisle. "It wouldn't be fair of us to ask it of her."

"Besides," said Jacob with a smile, "Charlie's got all the protection in the world."

She looked at him. "I seriously doubt the Forks police can do a whole hell of a lot against the entire Volturi guard. You know they're just waiting for another excuse to come after us."

"You don't get what I'm saying, Bells," Jacob replied with a shake of his head. "As Sue's husband, he would be protected by the packs. Essentially, he'd be one of us."

I nodded. "Precisely what I've been thinking," I said.

"And the Volturi are afraid of us!" Seth declared.

"Not to mention this family," said Esme. "We would protect him, as well."

"As would the Denali coven," added Carlisle. "You know they are family, too."

We all turned as Emmett, Alice and Jasper suddenly entered through the sliding glass doors from the back yard. By look on his face, Jasper had immediately sensed the tense mood, and from the feeling I was getting, he was trying to settle everyone's nerves.

Emmett took one look around and said, "What did I miss?"


	10. Chapter 9

**9. Everything You Didn't Want to Know and Were Afraid to Ask**

Edward explained everything to the new arrivals. Both Emmett and Jasper expressed their agreement that there was no reason for Bella to worry.

"Even if the Volturi find out somehow, we've got your dad's back," Emmett assured her.

Whether it was Jasper's unnatural gift for affecting moods or rational thought had finally taken hold, Bella visibly relaxed and sat back down on the couch. "Okay, if you're all so sure," she said at last, then looked at me. "When is this gonna happen?"

I shrugged. "I told you, I don't know. It depends on your dad. He only told me he wanted to ask her."

"You're cool with it, aren't you, Bella?" Seth asked. "I mean, I know you're best buds with Jake and all, and he might end up as more than that some day, but is it that you don't want to be related to Leah and me?"

"Oh, no, Seth," Bella replied with a shake of her head. "It's not that. Despite Leah and I having our differences, I'm beyond happy that my dad found someone he actually wants to marry. Sue's been really good for my dad. It's just that I worry about his safety."

"You don't have to, Bella," Edward told her. "We have our own guard, so to speak. Charlie is perfectly safe knowing the truth now. It's only a matter of whether or not he can handle knowing everything."

"You think he can't?" she retorted.

"No need to get defensive, Bella," Emmett told her.

"I think what Edward is referring to is your father's insistence that he didn't need to know everything," Carlisle pointed out. "He only wanted assurance that you knew what you were getting into and that you were safe, remember?"

Bella nodded, but before anyone else spoke, Alice inhaled sharply and Edward was staring at her, obviously reading her thoughts.

"What is it?" asked Carlisle.

Alice and Edward looked at each other, saying together, "Charlie's coming."

"I've been concentrating on Charlie since Edward told us what he was planning to do," Alice went on. "He asked her, and Sue's told him the truth. They're on their way here right now."

"Is my dad okay?" Bella asked.

Alice looked at her. "I don't know. He seemed very upset, though,"

"Grandpa will be okay, won't he, Momma?" asked Renesmee.

Bella wrapped her arms around the little girl and kissed the top of her head. "I sure hope so, sweetie."

We all waited anxiously for Charlie and my mother to arrive. While we did so, Alice revealed that she had also seen something of Sierra that afternoon.

"I'm sorry it isn't much," she said. "I only saw that she's being held in a dark place, and she's very frightened."

"So someone has kidnapped her?" Leland asked.

"It would appear so," Alice replied softly.

"Thank goodness the poor thing is still alive," said Esme.

"For the moment," Jasper said succinctly. "We will need to find her soon in order to ensure she stays that way."

"I'd better go tell Sam," Jacob said. After patting Renesmee on the head, he walked quickly out the sliding glass door. He returned just a few moments later, saying that Sam was grateful for the update and Collin was furious that someone had taken his girl.

We didn't have long to contemplate the ramifications, as Edward's looking pointedly at the front door told us Charlie was coming up the drive. I had the feeling Charlie had driven like a bat out of hell to have gotten here so quickly, and fervently hoped my mother was okay.

"I suggest letting Charlie enter on his own," Edward said as he got up from his place next to Bella on the couch and stood off to the side. "He has something he wishes to say to me."

Bella looked at him. "What does he want to say? Edward?" she asked, standing when he only shook his head.

A moment later we heard a car door slam forcefully, followed by a quieter one. In seconds, Charlie Swan had entered the house, marching straight up to Edward and, grabbing his shirt, pushed him as hard as he could into the nearest wall. Two pictures fell and hit the floor, the glass inside them breaking. I knew Edward, having heard Charlie's thoughts before he'd arrived at the house, was allowing it to happen.

"YOU TURNED MY DAUGHTER INTO A MURDERER, YOU SON OF A BITCH?"

Emmett and Jasper moved to intervene, but Edward waved them off. Bella ran over as Mom was stepping up to my side.

"Dad, no! It's not like that!" Bella cried.

"I didn't do anything to Bella that she did not wish for me to do, Charlie," Edward said quietly.

Charlie's face was a dark shade of purple. "You turned her into a monster who kills people for their blood-don't you _dare_ tell me she asked for that!"

"Dad!" Bella shouted, even though she was standing right next to him. After another moment of enraged staring into Edward's eyes, he turned his head to look at his daughter.

"How … how could you let this happen, Bells?" he asked. "I can't believe you'd be willing to go along with this, especially having a cop for a father. Do you have any idea what this means to me? My baby girl has become a murderer!"

"Dad," she said more calmly. "I told you, it's not like that. We don't hunt people to feed, we hunt animals."

"I actually tried to talk her out of it, Charlie," Edward said. "I tried to convince her not to become one of us. But you know how stubborn your daughter can be."

Charlie pushed him against the wall. "You shut up! Don't you pretend you know my daughter better than I do."

"Bella is right, Chief Swan," Carlisle spoke up, slowly taking a step toward him. "I have lived … a long time. Not once have I fed on a human being, and I have taught my family to do the same. Not all of us have been on this diet the whole time, but each of us values human life far too much to take it so casually. We struggle daily with our nature so that we do not become the monsters myth and legend has painted us to be."

"You hunt … animals?" Charlie said slowly.

"Yes, Dad. I promise you, I have never killed anyone in the last three years," Bella told him. "I've wanted to, I won't lie, but I don't want to do anything that would make me a bad person, or worse, make you ashamed to call me your daughter."

She put her hand on his arm. "I knew what Edward and his family were long before I became one of them. I'm sorry I never told you, but I couldn't. It was for your own safety. I promise you, I knew what I was getting into from the beginning, and I was okay with it because I love him. I couldn't stand the thought of living without him, so the only way to be sure I would never have to was to become immortal."

He looked at her with incredulity. "You're gonna live forever?"

"More than likely, unless I'm torn to pieces and burned to ash," she replied.

I could tell she meant it as a joke, but neither Edward nor her father took it as such, both of them getting pained expressions on their faces.

"Bella, don't ever say something like that again, please," Edward told her.

Charlie looked at him, his expression still livid, but at long last he released his son-in-law and stepped back. He then turned slowly to look at my mother, his gaze roaming from her, to me, to my brother, and then back again.

"And Leah and Seth are … they're wolves? Like Jacob?"

Mom nodded. "Yes Charlie," she said, her voice so low I almost didn't hear her, even with my heightened sense of hearing. "Now you know everything there is to know, all of it things I know you'd rather you didn't. But I couldn't enter into a sacred union such as marriage without telling you everything. I wouldn't want to go into it already keeping secrets."

He turned to Bella. "You said you didn't tell me for my own safety? What does that mean?"

She nodded. "Partly due in fact to your not wanting to know everything, but yeah, because it kept you safe. We don't hunt people, Dad, and there's another group of vampires who don't hunt people, but we're the exception. Most vampires do hunt people. Plus, the ones who enforce the law of secrecy would want you to be turned or killed if they knew you'd been told. So we decided that just enough was all you needed to know. It's what you decided."

"I know it is," he snapped back, then looked sorry for having been so sharp. "So what now? Do you have to turn me into one of you?"

"Oh, no!" Bella exclaimed. "Dad, I know you. This life that I've chosen isn't for you. You need to stay human and be happy and grow old with Sue."

"No one here will tell anyone else that you know about us, Charlie," said Carlisle. "And if by chance it does get out, this family and our friends will protect you."

"The packs will protect you, too, Charlie," said Jacob. "All the wolves will make sure nothing happens to you."

"Charlie," my mother said, stepping forward, "I know that all of this is a lot to take in. And if you've changed your mind about wanting to marry me, I'll understand. I just wanted you to know the truth because I love you and I didn't want to have to lie to you."

Charlie looked at her for a long moment, then turned and began pacing, first back and forth, and then he started walking around the room. We all watched in silence, waiting for him to speak, and when he did, it was to begin firing questions at each of the Cullens, and at Jacob, Seth, and myself. He asked questions of my mother, and he asked Bella and Edward about Renesmee. He even asked Leland a bunch of questions, too, about what his part was in all of this. For a man who once declared he didn't want or need to know everything, he sure seemed like he was trying to find it all out.

I realized then that he was in cop mode. Of course-he was asking for so much detail because he was trying to gather all the evidence he could. But what would he use that evidence for? For his own understanding? Was he planning to go public? Declare us all insane so that he could have us committed, saving his only daughter from the madness she had gotten caught up in?

Edward clearing his throat had me looking over at him. He returned my gaze with the barest hint of a smile, a telling sign that he'd been listening to my thoughts. I narrowed my eyes at him, and clearly thought the words, _Butt out of my head, bloodsucker_. He smiled just a little more, then turned his attention-or appeared to-back to the conversation.

Charlie stopped his pacing and questioning. He stood in front of the large television set with his back to us, his hands on his hips, his head hanging down. "This … this is all very fantastic, and I don't mean that in a good way," he said slowly. "You're all telling me that you're some kind of horror story monsters, but oh-you're not bad ones."

"Without the darkness, Charlie, how would we recognize the light?" Carlisle said quietly. "In your profession, you are the opposite of those you seek to imprison. You are the good compared to their evil. Everything has its opposite, even amongst our kind. Animal hunters are a very small minority, but we do exist. And even though we cannot force others of our kind to live as we do, it's not like we don't try to change their minds."

"And our kind may have been created to destroy theirs," Jacob added, "but we've all learned over the past few years that a vampire with the kind of moral fiber these ones have, aren't bad people. They're just different, like those of the tribe that can become wolves. It took a lot of getting used to, believe me, because hating what they are is a natural part of what we are. But we've learned to respect them, for their choice not to hunt people if for nothing else. Some of us call them friends, and some of us even love them."

Edward cleared his throat again, and this time it was I who smiled. I could tell he was stifling a groan-though he was pretty much reconciled with the relationship that Jacob would one day have with his daughter, he still wasn't overly fond of the idea. He'd had a hard enough time keeping Jake's hands off of Bella when she was human, and I imagined any thought of him putting his hands on Renesmee in that way only served to enrage him.

Edward looked at me darkly, and I just resisted the urge to stick out my tongue-though I certainly didn't resist picturing it in my head. _Serves you right for poking your nosy head in where it doesn't belong_, I thought at him. For the briefest of moments, I wondered why he suddenly seemed so interested in what I had to think, because he was constantly picking my brain whenever I was near. Perhaps it was a force of habit, but it was unnerving. And annoying. And I wanted it to stop. I decided then and there that I would think the most unpleasant things I could think of to keep Edward Cullen out of my head and no longer invading my privacy.

He smiled again, which only annoyed me more. I pointedly looked away and concentrated on my mother. She had taken a seat in one of the armchairs, and sat twisting her hands in her lap, staring worriedly at Charlie. I couldn't help wondering what she was thinking, though I figured I could guess. She was probably wondering if Charlie had changed his mind about marrying her, and frankly so was I. Some people, like Leland, like the other wolves' mates, they could handle this stuff. For that matter, they may well have been born to handle the toughness, the strangeness that came with being part of the pack-part of the family. As tough as Charlie was, being a cop and all, maybe this was the one thing that was more than he could take. I suppose I couldn't blame him if he walked away, but it would still piss me off. I mean, the man had declared his love for my mother and a desire to become her husband. If he left her because of this, then he wasn't as good a man as I had come to believe he was.

And he didn't deserve her. My mother deserved-needed-a man who was strong enough to handle anything.

Charlie turned abruptly and headed for the door. "I need some air," he said, leaving us all staring after him. We heard his car roar to life a moment later and tear off down the drive.

Anger flared, and for the briefest of moments, I imagined turning wolf and going after him, confronting him about what a damn coward he was.

"Charlie's not a coward, Leah," said Edward. "I believe he just needs time to take all this information in."

"I told you to stay out of my head, bloodsucker!" I said angrily.

"Leah, calm down," Leland said, and it wasn't until he put his hand on my arm that I realized I'd begun to vibrate. I looked over at my bondmate, and looking into his eyes instantly soothed me.

But I was still angry at Charlie for walking out on my mother like that. I patted her shoulder and said, "Come on, Mom. Let me take you home."

She nodded silently, and I could see that she was struggling not to cry. I hated Charlie even more just for that. The jerk wasn't worth crying over.

Leland, Mom and I walked out to my car. Seth stayed a moment to say goodbye to the Cullens and Jake, whom I heard promise to run with him tomorrow and continue the search for Sierra.

When we got home, Seth and Mom headed into the house. I stood with Leland by his car. "I really hope everything works out with your mother and Charlie," he said quietly.

I scoffed. "He walked out, Lee. Means he hasn't got the stones to handle the fact that the world is filled with more kinds of monsters than the ones he has to deal with on a daily basis. It figures that just when I was getting used to the fact that he would become a part of my family, that I was going to be in-lawed to that coven of bloodsucking leeches, something happens to prove that I was right to keep my distance from them, like I always have."

He looked at me with admonishment in his eyes. "I might not have known them as long as you have, but I can honestly say they seem alright to me. I think Edward was right, Charlie just needs time to get used to knowing the whole truth."

I raised my eyebrow. "You're siding with that thing? The one who can't keep his cold, marble nose out of other people's thoughts?"

Leland shook his head. "I don't see it as a matter of taking sides, though if it somehow came to that, you know I'd be on yours," he told me, rubbing my arms with his hands. "But I can look at all this a lot more objectively, still being something of an outsider. And I think Charlie will come around, you just gotta give him some time."

"You didn't need time, at least not a lot," I pointed out. "For a guy who was clueless twenty-four hours ago, you sure are handling everything pretty well."

He smiled. "It's been a very weird day for me, to say the least," he conceded. "I mean, learning that vampires are real, that there are people who can turn into giant wolves-giant ravens, even-it's a lot to absorb. And it's hard to believe even for someone who's in it up to his neck, like I am. Part of me still doesn't want to. But it's like I told you, I can't ignore what's right in front of me. I've seen and heard too much craziness for it _not_ to be real. Plus, I get a bonus."

His smile helped me to relax finally, and I smiled back. "What's that?"

Leland reached for me and drew me to him, and we wrapped our arms around each other. "I got you," he said. "I've wanted to find me a girl and settle down for a while now, but I never met the right one until I came here. The perfect one. You're probably the only thing right now that's keeping me from losing my mind in the middle of all this."

I pulled back. "Has it really been that hard on you?" I asked.

"Leah, think about what you told me earlier today. How difficult it was for you when Sam was forced to leave you. How you felt when your phasing appeared to have caused your father's heart attack-how guilty that made you feel. How hard it was being the only female among all the wolves. Becoming what you are, knowing that the legends of your tribe are real, that took getting used to, didn't it? Despite the fact that you weren't peaches and cream there for a while…"

Because I knew he didn't say it to be mean, I merely pulled my arms away from him and crossed them over my chest. Leland broke them apart gently and held my hands in his. "Through all of that, there had to be something that kept you grounded. What was that?"

I thought about it for just a moment. "My mother," I replied. "And Seth. I was determined to keep them safe. The tribe too, of course, but my family was the most important thing to me. Now you are."

Leland smiled. "And you are _my_ anchor, as I get used to the strange new architecture that is my life. Whatever I'm destined to become, and no matter how crazy it sounds, I know without a doubt that I want and need you in my life, to be a part of my future. I don't think I could live without you now that I've met you. That could be the supernatural thing inside me talking, it could not. All I know is that's how I feel. I don't ever want to lose you."

"And you never will," I replied, leaning forward to give him a long, lingering kiss.

* * *

><p>Eventually, Leland left for his grandfather's house. I went inside and found Seth in the kitchen, eating. I would have laughed had my brother not been wearing such a forlorn expression.<p>

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Where's Mom?"

"Mom's in her room," Seth replied. He started to raise the sandwich in his hands to his mouth, but instead put it down, and looked at me. "Do you think Charlie is gonna leave Mom?"

My irritation flared again, though not as strongly as before. Perhaps that talk with Leland at the curb had done some good after all. I sighed and joined him at the table. "I don't know, Seth. I honestly hope he doesn't, that he's a better man than that."

"I thought he was too," my brother agreed. "I just can't believe he walked out like that."

"Leland thinks Charlie just needs time to get used to knowing the truth, like he did."

"Your boy didn't seem to take too long getting used to how things are. Most of the girls got used to it pretty quick, too," Seth told me.

"Lee says it's because he's in it up to his neck," I replied.

"Dude, I still can't believe he might turn into a giant bird," Seth said. "That's crazy."

"No crazier than the fact that you and I and eighteen others in our tribe can become giant wolves, kiddo," I retorted. "From what his cousin told him, the ravens came about in much the same way as our wolves did, to protect the tribe from vampires."

"I don't get how you could have imprinted on him, though. I mean, for one thing, you've stopped phasing. And he's probably a shapeshifter, too. No wolf has imprinted on another shape-shifter, let alone one with a different animal form. 'Course, we didn't know there were other kinds of shapeshifters out there until today. Who knows how many other kinds there are?"

"There's also never been a female wolf before," I reminded him. "Maybe it has something to do with that, I don't know. Nobody does."

I grabbed the sandwich from his plate and took a large bite, as I hadn't eaten dinner, either. "Nobody even knows how in the world our ancestors were able to separate their spirits from their bodies. It's all conjecture, because no one living can give us the answers to these questions. Maybe it's one of those millions of things we're just not meant to know. All I know is that I'm indescribably happy to have discovered I'm not so much of a freak after all. I'm like the rest of the wolves, only female. I've been blessed, Seth, I really have, not only to have endured all that I have and somehow ended up more mature because of it, but to have actually met the one person in all this world who is perfect for me. I was beginning to think he didn't exist, and then there he was."

"On the side of the road with a broke down car."

I playfully shoved my brother when his straight face broke into a grin, then sobered as I heard a car pull into the driveway. Seth heard it too, and we both stood. I reached the front room before he did this time, and moved the curtain aside to peek out the window. I felt my body tense as I recognized Charlie Swan's police cruiser behind my car.

"It's Charlie," I said between clenched teeth.

"I better go get Mom," Seth said, and turned to head to her room.

I snagged his arm. "Don't. I want to have a word with him first."

I'm fairly certain that the expression on my face is why Seth didn't argue, but he did plead with me to keep my cool. "And try not to ruin it if he's here to tell Mom he wants to stay with her."

"Me ruin something? I would never," I said mischievously, and slipped out the door.

Charlie hadn't gotten out. He was still sitting behind the wheel staring at our house when I came outside. I stood on the porch staring at him pointedly, my arms crossed over my chest. Eventually he got the point and got out, though that was as far as I let him get.

"Not another step, Swan," I said coldly.

Charlie froze. "Leah, I'd really like to talk to your mother, please," he said.

"Do you really think that you have any right to ask for anything, after what you did tonight? You walked out on her. You could barely even look at her," I said, feeling my ire returning to what it had been before. "My mother almost shed tears over you-probably did as soon as she shut her bedroom door, and for what? Someone who doesn't even deserve her. You proved that when you walked out on her."

"I understand that you are angry, Leah, and that you're trying to protect your mom. I respect that. And I know what I did was probably one of the dumbest things I've ever done," Charlie said. "But I … I needed air. I needed space, room to breathe. You can't just throw out things like 'Vampires and werewolves are real' and expect a guy to just say, 'Okay, cool.' For goodness' sake, I'm a _cop_, Leah. And vampires kill people. Werewolves have been known to kill people, at least in storybooks and horror movies."

He shifted into the familiar hands-on-hips pose. "Knowing what I do creates a serious conflict of interest for me."

"How so?" I asked.

"I'm the Chief of Police. I can't just look the other way if one of you or one of them kills somebody!"

"Keep your voice down!" I hissed sharply, stepping down off the porch and stopping just a foot or so away. "Not everyone around here knows what you do. We keep that a secret to keep them safe, like we kept it a secret from you for the same reason. And if you hadn't been too bull-headed to pay attention, you'd have heard us all say the same thing-_we don't kill people_. The wolves exist to hunt vampires who kill people. And there are a lot of them out there. But the Cullens and a few others don't. They resist what they are for the express purpose of _not_ becoming the monstrous murderer you've read about in books or seen in movies."

_Oh good grief_, I suddenly thought. _I've just become the Cullens' friggin champion_.

"And you believe that because they tell you so?" Charlie countered.

"Because I've seen proof," I replied. "And the surest way to know is by looking them in the eye. Vampires who feed on humans have red eyes. The ones who feed on animals have topaz-colored eyes. It has something to do with the chemistry of the blood they drink."

Charlie gulped and looked away from me. "I cannot think about my daughter drinking blood, human or animal."

I could not believe I was about to say this, considering I how I still felt about Bella, but… "Then don't, Charlie. Just think of her like you always have-as your daughter. That's what she's always been and always will be."

He was still and silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. Then he looked at me and said, "Your mom. She's not … a wolf, too, is she?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Would it matter if she was?"

Charlie sighed, then tried to smile. "No, I guess it wouldn't. I really do love her, Leah, and I still mean to marry her, if she'll have me."

"She will."

I turned and Charlie looked up-Mom was standing on the porch. We'd both been so absorbed in our conversation that neither of us had heard her come out.

Charlie stepped around me and walked over to stand at the bottom step-considering my mother's height, this made them about even. He looked into her eyes as he fished in his pocket and produced a small, velvet-covered box.

"I, uh, didn't get the chance to give you this," he said, holding it out to her.

Mom flipped the lid up. One hand went to her lips as tears welled in her eyes. She stood staring at the ring in the box for some time before she spoke.

"Oh, Charlie," she said, looking at him. "Are you sure?"

Charlie reached up and took the ring out of the box. He then took her left hand in his and slipped it on the third finger (he looked immeasurably relieved to see that it fit), then raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. I could feel myself smiling at the girly expression on my mother's face.

"Maybe I need to repeat myself," Charlie said. "Sue Clearwater, will you marry me?"


	11. Chapter 10

**10. Thunderbird**

Charlie apologized to my mother. "Sue, I'm sorry for leaving like that. It was a stupid thing to do."

Mom hushed him by putting her hand to his mustachioed lips. "I won't lie and say it didn't hurt me to watch you walk away," she said. "But I understand why you did, and your need for space and time. I'm just glad you didn't take too long to come back to me."

She leaned down and kissed him then, and although I was happy for her that they had reconciled so quickly, she was my _mother_. Watching her kissing just wasn't … natural.

I cleared my throat. "I guess this means you guys are getting married?" I asked.

They broke apart and turned to me. Charlie looked a little embarrassed and my mother laughed. "I'd say it does, Leah," Mom said, her voice light and happy.

I nodded and started for the house. I stopped next to Charlie before climbing up the steps and said, "You make her happy, so you get a pass this time. Make her cry again, for any reason, and I'll hunt you down like the wolf that I am. Are we clear?"

"Leah!" my mother exclaimed.

Charlie stared at me, and for his part, did not show any fear. "It won't happen again. You have my word on that."

I nodded and stepped past him up onto the porch. I gave my mother a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek and walked into the house, not altogether surprised to find Seth on his cell phone, already relaying the news that Charlie had come back and that he and Mom had gotten engaged.

Whatever appetite I'd had earlier had evaporated. I walked down the hall and into my room-all I felt like doing right then was talking to Leland. I wished he could hold me, and closing my eyes as I sat on my bed, I tried to remember what it had felt like being held in his arms. The warmth of his embrace seemed to return to my skin (although I admit it could have been just my imagination) and I smiled at the memory. The moment was broken by the ringing of the house phone. Annoyed, I ignored it with the hope that Seth would pick it up-I wanted to settle back into my memory.

A moment later, there was a knock at my door, and Seth poked his head in. "It's for you," he said, holding out the cordless handset.

"Who is it?" I asked getting up from the bed and taking it.

Seth rolled his eyes. "Who do you think?" he said as he backed out and shut the door.

I put the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"I never got your cell phone number, or I wouldn't have called your house. Had to get this number from Grandfather," said the voice on the other end.

I broke into a smile and felt a wave of emotion spread through me. "I was just thinking about you!" I said as I moved over and laid myself down on my bed.

Leland laughed. "I was just thinking about you, too, even though I just saw you less than an hour ago. How are you?"

"Better now that I'm hearing your voice," I replied. "By the way, Charlie showed up."

"That's good. He and your Mom okay now?"

"Yeah, though I had a word with him first. Well, more than one, actually."

I could imagine Leland shaking his head, but smiling. "I bet you gave him a stern talking to," he said.

I grinned again, even though he couldn't see it. "Darn right. And I told him he better never make her cry again or I was going to hunt him down like the wolf that I am."

This time Leland laughed. I loved hearing that laugh already. It filled me with a joy I'd never known before to know that my perfect mate was happy. I'd made him happy, and he made me happy, and even though a tiny part of me cringed at the giggly-girl feeling I was having at that thought…

…the rest of me didn't care one bit.

* * *

><p>As happy as the night had ended, the next began much same as that morning. The packs went out looking for Sierra, and so did the Cullens. I had become the de facto coordinator due to my status as a "retired wolf." I was the one keeping track of who searched where, and the two Alphas were keeping each other advised of their respective packs' progress. I even spoke to the Cullens more than I ever had before, most often with Dr. Cullen or Esme as they reported their own lack of success in finding out anything positive.<p>

I knew it without anyone having to say so that, as the days went by, the chances of finding Sierra by scent trail were whittling down to zero. Had she even left one, it was rapidly fading and would be gone by week's end.

We were all getting worried about Collin, too. He was becoming more and more frantic with worry as time went on. He refused to eat or sleep unless ordered to by Sam, preferring to spend all his time on the search for his girl. I'd seen him little at first, but when one week had stretched into two, I ran across him at the village store while out with Leland, and I remember thinking how crazed he looked-like he was on the verge of coming unglued. I reached for Leland as Collin walked away from us and held him tightly, fervently hoping that I never had to experience what Collin was going through. My heart had broken at the sight of the poor kid.

My time wasn't just filled up with coordinating the search. I was also getting to know my bondmate. I spent as much time as I could with him, which was most of my waking hours. He'd talked to his grandfather about how much work his house needed, and they'd figured out a budget for fixing it up. I was helping him with the project. We also, despite the house renovations and the search for Sierra, found time to be alone together. We went out on dates like any other couple, and it wasn't long before I realized that I was very close to falling in love with Leland.

I was worrying about him, as well. The possessiveness he had spoken of that second day was getting worse, and he'd begun to have fits of temper, snapping at me, his grandfather-at anyone who said or did something "wrong" in his eyes. Leland also had developed a habit of showing off-at least, that was the only way I could think of to describe his behavior. More than once he would demonstrate his athletic skills by doing things like flips or lift heavy objects, like he was trying to impress me. He had also decided, quite out of the blue one day, that he was going to build me a porch swing. He became so enamored of the idea that it had become his obsession.

I was just glad he had something else, like his renovation project, to focus on. When he focused like that, it served to distract him from other things, like how any male I spoke to _had_ to pay attention to me so that we could have a conversation. I used what little free time I had to do some research on the wolf and the raven, and much to Old Ray's disappointment, I had come to the conclusion that Leland would before long phase into a raven, as he was displaying a number of the wild bird's courting behaviors. I even spoke once with his cousin Meiko about it, and the Haida headman seemed inordinately pleased that the raven was winning the fight: Leland would be the first thunderbird since 1900, when the last flock of seven had decimated a coven of twelve vampires.

Of course, he was also a little concerned with how fast Leland seemed to be progressing. The phasing process, if it could be called one, was yet another of the similarities the raven shape-shifters shared with our wolves, in that it usually took months or years of exposure to vampires for the change to occur (except in rare instances, wherein the change was spontaneous due to immediate danger). After much discussion, the four of us-Meiko, Leland, Old Ray and I-came up with only two possible reasons for the accelerated progression Leland was experiencing. One was his age, which was 27. He was nearly twelve years older than the average age at which his mother's ancestors phased for the first time. I think the same could be said of the wolves, at least the current generation-most of our boys had been 16 or 17, though there were a few who were as young as 13. I was the oldest, turning 20 just a couple months after my first phase.

The second possibility was his proximity to other shape-shifters. Neither tribe had had any previous knowledge of other animal warriors, so we had no idea what possible effect being exposed to similar beings would have. Of course, each group _had_ heard stories passed on by traveling storytellers, which they likened to fancy and gave no merit to (after all, how could a similar legend be true in more than one tribe?). Leland commented during one of his darker moods that perhaps he should ask Branson if the Lakota had them as well.

At the end of the third week of Sierra's disappearance, Kim suggested postponing hers and Jared's wedding, which was less than a week away. Jared, clearly disappointed, nonetheless supported her, though Sam and Jacob both immediately rejected the idea.

"I don't want to postpone it anymore than Jared," Kim said. "But how can we hold a wedding with things the way they are?"

Sam smiled kindly. "Kim, I don't believe that either Sierra or Collin would want this situation to ruin your happiness. Your wedding should go forward as scheduled. Be happy, and begin your life with Jared as husband and wife."

"He's right, sweetie," Jared told her. "We can't let this stop us from living our lives."

Kim leaned into him when he put his arm around her. "I know that. I just feel so bad having a celebration when Sierra's missing and Collin and her family are falling apart."

I understood what Kim meant. It never felt right to be happy in the midst of someone else's misery.

* * *

><p>I was with my mother and Seth eating lunch later that day when the most horrendous screeching suddenly rent the air. We all rushed outside to see if we could find the source of the high-pitched keening, and we weren't alone. Several of our neighbors had come out of their homes as well. I strained my ears as the cry was heard again, and just as Lawrence Fisher from across the street was saying, "Almost sounds like it's coming from over by Old Ray's place," I felt my heart drop.<p>

_Leland_, I thought with horror, barely sparing my mother or brother a glance as I immediately took off at a dead run.

If he had phased, something had set him off. If he was still at his grandfather's house, Old Ray could be in danger from the animal he had become. Leland wouldn't be able to control himself, and might cause serious injury to the old man purely by accident, as Sam had to Emily. I could not let that kind of guilt consume him as it did Sam.

The sound of feet running behind me barely registered, though as I raced through the village, Seth's scent finally caught up with me. I was grateful he had come along, because I knew two other things full well: I'd be in just as much danger as Old Ray from a newly phased raven or wolf, and we had to get to him as quickly as possible lest someone who shouldn't see walk in on the scene. My heart thundered in my chest as I ran, my fear and worry for Leland mixing with concern for Old Ray.

Seth and I pounded down First Beach Road and turned up the dirt track that led to Old Ray's place. From this distance the screeching was louder, and we could hear crashing sounds coming from inside the house. I felt the blood drain from my face and threw everything I had into my run. As I tore past Leland's Thunderbird, I noted out of the corner of my eye the appearance of three wolves, one of them Sam.

I pounded up the steps and wrenched open the screen door, stopping just inside of it at the sight of the gigantic raven before me, it's wings spread as wide as the space would allow. His wingspan had to be sixteen feet or so, his height the same as Leland's. The long beak came to a sharp point at the end and looked like it could skewer me, and the claws on his feet looked more like large talons, given their size.

The raven cried out again when it took notice of me and I covered my ears. "Leland!" I shouted to get his attention, lowering my hands and holding them out in a calming gesture as I stepped forward. "Leland, it's me, honey, it's Leah. Lee, look at me. Look into my eyes."

The raven looked at me. I fought through my fear and stepped closer, slowly, ignoring Seth's hiss from out on the porch. I looked into the eyes of the creature before me, looking for any sign that Leland was listening to me. Somehow I saw him in them, or at least felt him. The eyes were avian, but they were his.

"Leland, everything's going to be okay," I said slowly, trying my best to ignore the widespread wings and the beak that was still open, as though preparing to cry out again. "Just listen to me. Listen to my voice. Find the calm inside the storm, and you'll change back. I'd show you how, baby, but I can't because you're a different kind of animal. You have to figure it out on your own. But you can do it, Lee, I know you can. Look at me, and listen to my voice, okay? I'm here. I'm here for you and I'm not leaving."

As I spoke I moved steadily closer. I knew Seth had stepped inside behind me and would do his best to protect me if the raven made a move to strike out. But I was ignoring my brother and focusing all my attention on Leland, hoping my assurances were enough to bring him back-hoping, in fact, that he could even understand me at all. The look in his eyes was one of fear, as though he were a bird trapped in a too-small cage. Given the enormous size of Leland's animal form, it was a fitting analogy.

I was close enough now that I could almost touch him. With caution, I slowly reached my hand out. The raven looked at it for a moment, then closed the long beak and leaned forward so the end was touching my hand. I smiled. "That's right," I said. "I'm here for you. I'm not going to go anywhere."

After a long moment of my hand resting on the end of the raven's beak, his eyes staring into mine, the form of the massive bird began to blur, and a moment later, faster than I could blink, Leland's human form collapsed to the floor. I hurried to catch him before his head hit the ground, and sat with it in my lap, stroking his hair as he labored to steady his breathing. He didn't speak, but lay there clutching tightly to me as his chest heaved.

Seth came over with a blanket from somewhere and laid it across his lower half as Sam came slowly inside.

"Are you hurt?" Sam asked.

I shook my head. "Check the house. See if Old Ray is alright."

Though I had practically given him an order, Sam only nodded and started down the hallway. He was back inside of two minutes, his expression grim.

"I believe I know what set him off," he told me quietly. "Old Ray is dead.

My heart dropped for the second time that day. "Oh, God. Lee didn't-"

Sam shook his head. "No. Looks like natural causes-he appears to have died in his sleep. The shock of finding him must be what set off the change."

I looked down at the trembling man in my lap. "Oh, Leland. Honey, I'm so sorry," I said softly, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

"I … I didn't …" Leland began. "He … he was fine this morning."

Sam knelt in front of him. "I do not doubt that your grandfather died at peace, cousin. He had reconciled with the spirit of his only son, and he got to know you."

"Yeah, Old Ray seemed so much happier these days, and that was because of you," I said. "He was getting out more, taking more of an interest in tribal matters, in the activities of the packs… He wasn't like that before you came. He'd become a recluse. You changed that. You made him live again."

Another long moment passed, and then Leland sat up. He looked at Seth, at Sam, and at me, his pain-filled gaze lingering on my face. His grip on my hand tightened, and I remembered the words he had used the night my mother had gotten engaged: _My anchor_, he had called me. I'd never been anyone's anchor before, and I had no idea how to be one now. I only knew one thing, which was that I wanted nothing more than to comfort him, to take his pain away. Maybe that was all I needed to do, let him know that he could lean on me.

His gaze fell to the blanket across his middle, and he glanced back at Seth. "Thank you for this," he said.

"Anything for a brother, man," Seth replied.

Leland nodded. He looked around at the mild chaos caused by the raven's wings: pictures and lamps had been knocked over, knickknacks broken, furniture knocked askew. He saw the tatters of the clothes he'd been wearing and chuckled mirthlessly.

"Now I know how you must have felt every time it happened to you," he said.

The three of us smiled ruefully. "You might have to increase your wardrobe budget for a while. Any little thing that makes you upset, mad, or even mildly irritated can trigger a phase," I told him.

Leland's eyes took on a faraway look. "It was the raven, wasn't it? The thunderbird defeated the thunderwolf after all."

"You don't remember?" I asked.

Sighing, he rubbed his free hand over his face and raked it through his long, unbound hair. "Sort of. It's a little hazy at the moment. I remember going out early for a drive, and I went to the grocery store in Forks. Then I came home to speak to Grandfather about the dream I had last night, I thought he might help me interpret it. He … he must have lain down … for a nap."

Leland began to tremble again, his breath hitching, his chest heaving. I knew what that meant-he was about to lose control again. I grabbed his head and forced his face toward mine. "Leland, look at me. Look at me and try to remain calm, honey. I know you can do it," I said, keeping my voice low and steady.

He stared into my eyes, drawing his breath in through his nose and letting it out through tightly pressed together lips.

When he had calmed enough to speak again, Leland looked at each of us in turn. "How do you do it? Control the thing inside you?" he asked.

Sam took that one. "First, you must accept that the raven is a part of who you are, who you were born to be. It may not be something you want, but it's a part of you nonetheless."

"And you gotta remember that most people are happy in their ignorance," Seth added. "Not everyone is equipped to handle the truth, and that's why we keep what we are a secret. It keeps them safe, it keeps us safe, and it keeps our families safe."

I looked at Seth with some awe-never had my brother spoken so profoundly before. I was surprised that I hadn't noticed until that moment how much of a man he had truly become. The calm, steady gaze he bore on Leland showed me that he was his father's son, and I was sure beyond a doubt that our father would be proud of him.

I looked back at Leland, and recalled his words. "You said you went out for a drive this morning. Why?"

He looked at me. "The dream I had. It was so vivid, so real," he said, his voice shaky. "I wanted to talk to Grandfather about it, but I'd told him I would do some grocery shopping this morning. I brought the dairy stuff in first and put it in the refrigerator, then went to his room because he wasn't in the kitchen or living room, and he usually is at this time of day. Sometimes he sits out on the porch and watches the animals in the woods.

"But he wasn't out here, he wasn't on the porch, and so I went to his room. He … he was lying on the bed with his back to the door. I called his name because he hadn't moved when I went in. I called it louder when he didn't respond. Then I went over to him and … I touched him, put my hand on his shoulder and shook him to wake him. Then I noticed he wasn't breathing, just lying there. His eyes were closed, and he was so still…"

Leland dropped his head into his hands, and I put my arm across his shoulders. He groaned, then went on. "I remember backing out of the room. I felt so stunned, because it was so unexpected. He was fine this morning, I swear it. I'd had breakfast with him before I left, and he joked about me running off to see my girl."

He spared me a glance and I smiled, reaching for his hand. Leland took it in his with a firm, almost desperate grip, but I didn't mind the slight ache it caused. He looked down at our joined hands, relaxing his grip as he used his other hand to envelope mine. "All this time I've been thinking getting angry about something stupid would make me change, because of all the stories you guys have told me. Because of the crappy way I've behaved lately. And what did it at last was being shell-shocked."

_And so quickly_, I thought. _He's only been here three weeks._

"I think I made it here to the living room before it happened. I … I remember feeling like my body was on fire, and then felt like I was exploding out of my skin. And … and then I noticed the sharpness," he said, and looked once again between Sam, Seth and I. "Everything was so sharp-it was like I could see the individual fibers of the fabric on the couch, I could see every single dust mote in the air. And the smells. It was like I could smell every single thing with a scent in this room, and I feel like I could've identified them all. Sense of smell isn't as powerful now, but still much stronger than before I changed. You guys, for instance. You smell funny now. It's a really strong … I don't know … predatory smell. Very pungent."

Leland looked at me. "Your scent isn't as strong. And doesn't smell as bad as Sam and Seth."

We all laughed a little. "Possibly because I haven't phased in almost four months," I said. "And because we're bondmates."

He nodded, then sighed. "I was looking forward to having my grandfather to guide me. No matter which animal won, I knew that he was going to help me through the transition. Now he can't. No one can."

"You'll get through this, Lee," I said. "You survived your parents' deaths, you can survive this. And you'll learn to control your temper and your grief so you can control the raven. We'll all help you in any way we can."

"The raven spirit may have won the battle for your form, but you still have the spirit of the wolf inside you," Sam said. "I've no doubt you could become a fierce warrior, if you choose it."

Leland looked at him. "Think I'll be able to fly?" he asked, almost smiling.

"I don't see why not," Seth put in. "I mean, dude-there wasn't room enough for you. I bet you have mega wingspan. Of course, I wouldn't recommend giving it a shot in a place where there's people around."

"Seth is right," I said. "You're very impressive in your animal form, and I doubt you'd turn into a raven if you couldn't fly-Kaigan could fly. Maybe when you're in better control of yourself, we'll go up in the mountains and give it a shot."

"Sounds good to me," Leland said, patting my hand and then, with as much grace as he could muster, clutched the blanket around him and stood. He was a little unsteady on his feet, but he managed it without falling over. Sam, Seth, and I stood as well.

"Thank you all for your kindness, which is more than I have any right to expect," Leland said.

"Nonsense. You're family, and we could not abandon you in your hour of need," Sam replied.

"I'm with Sam on that one," added Seth.

I put my hand on his shoulder. "You're stuck with me until you tell me to go away and never come back," I told him, adding silently, _and I pray you never do_.

He raised a hand to caress my cheek. "I could never give you up. You're my anchor, remember? I need you, now more than ever."

I smiled at him and nodded. He returned the smile, although weakly, and then sighed. "I need to get dressed, and then make some phone calls. I must take care of my grandfather."

"Go get dressed, Lee. I'll call for the ambulance service," I told him.

Leland nodded, looking more grateful than he had even a moment ago, when I had said I wasn't leaving him. He then turned and slowly made his way across the room, avoiding the broken glass strewn across the floor. Only when he disappeared out of sight did I reach for Sam to steady myself, my rush of adrenaline crashing into the flood of emotions coursing through me.

"Oh, God, Sam," I breathed. "How do you stand it? When Emily's hurting, or in pain, how can you bear it?"

Sam held my shoulders until I indicated I was okay. "Because I love her," he said simply.

I felt tears pricking my eyes as I looked up into his. For the first time, I wondered how in the world it was going to work between Leland and me, given our different natures. "A wolf may love a raven," I said, "but where do they live?"

"Your love will show you the way," Sam replied.

"Hey, Sis," Seth said, his hand on my shoulder, comforting me. "Remember what you told me: You guys wouldn't have imprinted on each other if it wasn't meant to be. And remember all that research you did-remember that you found out ravens have been known to associate with grey wolves in the wild, following them around in winter to scavenge food from their kills? So you run and he flies, or probably does. Doesn't matter as long as you come home to each other, does it?"

I looked at my brother, once again marveling at how the pesky little brat seemed to have all of a sudden become a wise young man. I patted the hand on my shoulder and smiled at him. "Not one bit. Thanks, kiddo."

I moved away from him toward the front door, pulling my cell phone from my pocket. I dialed our house and Mom picked up on the first ring.

"Sweetie, how's Leland?" she asked.

I filled her in quickly. She expressed her sympathy over Old Ray's death, and promised to call the ambulance for me, then said she would notify the tribal council-I should just stay with Leland and keep him company. I smiled. Calling her first was the right thing to do. Once she had called the first person on the tribal council, word would begin to spread across the reservation pretty quickly that Old Ray Whistler was dead. Leland would not have to worry about food for the next week or two, as the women of the tribe would be bringing him something different every day. He wouldn't even have to arrange the funeral himself if he wasn't up to it. That's my people-they take care of each other.

Leland came back dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain cotton t-shirt, shoes on his feet, as I was hanging up. He looked around again, shaking his head at the mess. "I should clean this up," he said to no one in particular as he used a rubber band to pull his hair back into a low tail.

"I'll help you," I said, then turned to Sam and Seth. "Thanks, guys, for everything. Sam, you should go let the others know what's going on before they get too antsy. Jake should probably be told, too."

Both of them nodded their agreement. Sam walked over to Leland and, after once again telling him that he was sorry for his loss, embraced him warmly. Leland stiffened at first, but then gripped his cousin tightly for a moment before stepping away. Seth did much the same, saying he was sorry and then giving him a brotherly hug. I could see that their support meant a great deal to him, and I was ever so much more grateful for it.

After they had gone, I told Leland that my mother was arranging for the ambulance to come for Old Ray. He asked me if there was going to be an autopsy, and I said that I didn't think so, though it was possible because it would be considered an unattended death. He said nothing more, just bent and started picking up the pieces of broken glass and other debris.

We worked in silence for several minutes, before my niggling curiosity finally prompted me to ask, "What was the dream about? The one you had that was so vivid? I mean, if you want to tell me."

He dropped some broken knickknacks into the trash and paused, his back to me as he said, "It was about a bird. Large and black, flying near the sea along the coast…"

Leland turned to look at me. "I was the bird, Leah," he said. "I know it as sure as I'm standing here. Even now I can remember the feel of the wind on my face, how light I felt as I glided along through the air drafts, how sharply I could see objects on the ground even though I was miles above them."

He scoffed, and then indicated the living room. "Given the circumstances, I should have known it was some sort of message, or an omen."

I recalled the story he had told about Kaigan, the first of the raven shape-shifters. "A message, perhaps," I conceded. "Ravens and their crow cousins have long been thought of as messengers by many of the First Nations tribes. You mentioned that yourself. I mean, the Great Raven spoke to your ancestor through a dream. Maybe it as how he chose to speak to you, to let you know that he was your spirit guide."

"More like my nightmare," he said with some disgust, returning to the task of clearing the destruction he had caused. "In those stories where ravens are messengers, they're usually bringing bad news."

I pulled a Charlie Swan and put my hands on my hips as I regarded him. "Leland Whistler!" I said sternly. He stopped and looked at me, and so I moved closer, raising my hands to his face. "I don't ever want to hear you talk like that again. You're the first thunderbird in more than a hundred years-I think that's something to be proud of."

"Oh really? Like you're so proud to be a wolf that you're giving it up?"

I dropped my hands to my sides, the truth of his words stinging me even though I had made my peace with who and what I was. But I refused to hold it against him, because I knew that Leland was upset. The Leland I was falling in love with, the one I was sure loved me, would never try to hurt me on purpose, even with mere words.

"You're right, I wasn't at first," I admitted. "I wasn't for a long time. But in recent months I've come to realize that being the only female wolf, being the fastest out of all of them, _is_ something to be proud of. I've got a special place in the future history of my tribe, and although it's taken me a long time to realize it, I'm proud of that."

"It wouldn't have happened if the Cullens had waited another dozen years to come back here," Leland said. "This wouldn't have happened to me if I'd never left South Dakota."

That hurt too, but I had to remember that Leland was speaking from fresh grief, his grandfather's passing following so closely on the heels of his parents' deaths.

"Maybe," I conceded, nodding. "But then vampires will settle just about anywhere. You never know, some of them could have moved in near your reservation, and you could have turned up there, with no one around who knew what was going on or how to help you."

Leland's irritation subsided and his expression of anger fell. He looked suddenly very tired, and my heart ached.

"And maybe I was always meant to come here," he said, sighing. "Leah, I'm sorry. I don't want to say things that hurt you. I'm just … all this is so …"

He gestured helplessly and I went to him, wrapping my arms around his waist and laying my cheek over his heart. He wrapped his arms around me, and for the second time since I had met him, he cried into my shoulder. I don't think his crying made him weak; in fact, that he could let go of his male pride and cry when he was in great emotional pain, instead of just bottling it up and holding it in, made him more of a man in my eyes.

Besides, I don't think anyone could blame a guy who'd lost his mother and father and only remaining grandparent in the space of six weeks for shedding a few tears.

I didn't sing for him this time around, just held him in silent comfort. The sound of vehicles coming up the drive reminded us that there was still work to do. Leland and I moved apart and he roughly wiped the tears from his face. Taking a deep breath, he moved toward the door, through which we could see both an ambulance and a Forks police car. The Quileutes had a small tribal police force, but we didn't have an ambulance service, so I understood why one of Charlie's officers had accompanied the medical unit: coming from Forks, the ambulance would require a Forks police escort.

I took Leland's hand in mine as we stepped out onto the porch. He glanced at me briefly, smiling weakly before turning his attention back to the two vehicles that were coming to a stop alongside his own. I was not altogether surprised to see that it was Charlie himself driving the Forks police car. My mother's fiancé stepped out and came toward us, while the ambulance crew got out and retrieved a gurney from the back of their rig.

"Leah, Leland," Charlie greeted us, coming up to the steps. "Very sorry about your grandfather, son."

Leland nodded. "Thank you, Chief," he said as the EMTs walked over with the gurney. He let go of my hand and opened the screen door so that they could get inside, walking in behind them.

"I, uh … I think it's a good thing he has you," Charlie said slowly. "Your mom called me. She told me about his parents. Boy's gonna need someone to stand by him."

My eyebrows winged up. Was this Charlie's way of trying to connect with me? For a moment I was perturbed, but then I remembered that none of this was about me, it was about Leland. And Charlie had a point. He'd lost so much in so short a time, and he needed all the support he could get. I wondered if it might be a good idea for me to call Meiko, or even his godfather, Branson Greatwood. The Lakota elder, for sure, knew him so much better than I, and could tell me how to help him cope.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else, Charlie," I said at last, looking back and stepping out of the way as the medics started out with Old Ray under a sheet on their gurney, Leland trailing behind, a mask of pain etched on his face. My heart went out to him.

_No_, I thought. _I wouldn't want to be anywhere else_.


	12. Chapter 11

**11. Irony in the Middle**

For a long time after Charlie and the ambulance had left, Leland and I stood on the porch-he staring down the long dirt drive after them, me holding his hand and looking at him.

"I need to call my sister," he said suddenly, letting go of my hand and walking into the house. I watched but did not follow, knowing it was something he had to do alone. If he needed me, I would be right where he'd left me.

As I had predicted, it wasn't long before the first of the visitors came up the lane. Mrs. Diogi, who ran the village convenience store, was walking up the lane next to my mother, who must have encountered her on the way here. Mrs. Diogi was carrying a small basket, and as she'd had no time to make anything of substance, I suspected it held fruit or sandwiches, and I was reminded of the fact that Leland still had groceries in his car. I walked out to greet them.

"Honey, how's Leland?" Mom asked, the glint in her eye telling me she was asking about more than the man.

"Holding together," I said.

"Such a nice young man. So sad this happened right when he and Old Ray were just getting to know one another," said Mrs. Diogi, her voice full of sympathy. "I brought him some sandwiches, 'cause I know he won't be in any mood to cook anything."

I nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Diogi. I'm sure Leland will appreciate that."

She eyed me then. "You know, Leah, there are several young ladies on the reservation who are jealous of you."

Mom and I exchanged a look. "What do you mean?" I asked.

Mrs. Diogi chuckled. "Come now, dear, surely you can figure it out. Your Leland is a very handsome young man. More than one of the other girls, my Corinna included, would like to have been the one to find him on the side of the road. Been attached at the hip ever since, the two of you have."

Although I smiled, inside I burned just a little. I'd gone to school with Corinna Diogi, and we'd always had something of an unspoken rivalry going on. Oh, we were certainly friendly to one another, especially in the company of teachers or other adults, but on another level, she was always competing with me. I didn't purposely try to best her at first-at least not until I'd noticed how upset she got when I did better. It made me feel good about myself, petty as that was. And when she made a show of having done something better than me, I'd find myself more determined to do better the next time.

This undeclared competition extended into other areas, such as clothes, the number of friends we had, and of course, boys. Whether it was his father's suspected (and proven, some of it) criminal history or his natural handsomeness combined with the chip on his shoulder (caused by the aforementioned reputation of his father), Sam had always been considered something of a bad boy … and no good girl can resist a bad boy. Well, except for me. Sam began to pursue me the summer before sophomore year of high school, and he made no secret of the fact that he wanted to go out with me. At the time, though, I wasn't interested. I thought he was one of those boys who were only after that one thing, and I was too young for that. But I guess even I couldn't resist his charms forever, breaking down and saying yes when he asked me to the homecoming dance that October. I went on the assumption that he was going to put the moves on me when the dance was over, so that I could prove I was right about him, and I was ultimately surprised by his gentlemanly behavior. He was sweet, almost shy, and he walked me home from the school afterward, tentatively holding my hand. On our front porch, he told me he'd had a good time and he was hoping he could see me again, and then he told me goodnight and kissed me on the cheek.

I think that's when I fell in love with him.

After that night, Sam and I were pretty much inseparable, and of course, everyone noticed. Corinna Diogi, who'd shown no interest in Sam before he and I started dating, began circulating the news that she wished he'd chosen her over me, and that she knew full well I'd just been playing hard to get. I'd actually wanted to confront her for that one, but it was Sam who convinced me that the best revenge was being happy with him and completely ignoring her. So I did just that.

Thus, it was no surprise at all to hear that she was envying my relationship with Leland. I would not be surprised if she would try to draw his attention away from me at some point, and the fact that she would strike out every time had my smile widening.

"Well, Mrs. Diogi, I can only say what my mother said to me a few weeks ago: the Lord moves in mysterious ways," I said. "Maybe it was always meant to be me."

I was saved from her response by Leland's appearance on the porch, looking even more haggard than he had when he'd gone inside. I turned all my attention to him. "How is Shalayne?" I asked as he came out to us.

Leland sighed heavily. "Heartbroken. My sister was very much looking forward to meeting Grandfather when the summer program was over, and she's very upset that she missed out on the opportunity to get to know him."

I put my hand on his shoulder to comfort him, and I felt the vibrations I knew only too well. Having to tell Shalayne about Old Ray had taken a lot out of him, and he was having a hard time keeping himself under control.

"Hey, you said you got all the dairy stuff in, right?" I asked.

He blinked a couple of times in confusion, then nodded. "Yeah, eggs, milk. All the refrigerated stuff."

"Where are your car keys?"

Leland blinked again, this time because he had to think about it. "I think I left them on the kitchen counter."

I nodded. "Then I'll be right back."

As I walked into the house to locate his keys, I heard Mrs. Diogi speaking to Leland, expressing her sympathies over the death of Old Ray. He thanked her and accepted the basket of sandwiches as I found the keys on the counter next to the refrigerator. I walked out again, closing the door behind me.

"Mom, do you think you could do us a favor? I would really appreciate it if you could finish clearing up the little mess we made making room for the medical team," I said, eying her pointedly. "You know I hate to ask you to do something like that, but I just think Lee could use a little time away."

My mother's lips twitched slightly, and she nodded. "Not a bother, sweetie. Go for a drive, get some air."

I nodded and took Leland by the hand, leading him over to his car. He didn't protest my pushing him toward the passenger seat; he got in and laid his head back against the headrest with his eyes closed as I walked around the front end and climbed in the driver's seat. Mom and Mrs. Diogi moved aside as I fired up the Thunderbird's engine and maneuvered a three-point turn, then headed off down the drive.

Leland was quiet as I drove. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him still sitting in the same position as when we'd started: head back, eyes closed, Mrs. Diogi's basket of sandwiches in his lap. His breathing was deep and even, but I doubted he had fallen asleep. As I was crossing the border of the reservation, an idea struck me, and I headed for the mountains. My companion didn't move or speak until many minutes later, when the trees cast a shadow over us. He sat up straighter and looked around.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"The forest, of course," I said with a laugh.

Leland cast me a frown. "Where are we _going_, then?" he replied.

I reached over and patted his hand. "Someplace out of the way with a lot of space, where there shouldn't be any prying eyes, so you can get in some practice."

He frowned again. "Practice doing what? Falling apart? I think I have that pretty much down pat, thanks."

I looked over briefly. "No, Leland. Practice controlling the raven. You've come close to losing it twice now, and although you controlled it rather well for a newly initiated shapeshifter, I think it might be a good idea for you to try doing it on purpose. The more you can initiate the phase on purpose, the better you'll be able to control yourself in front of people like Mrs. Diogi."

"I take it she's not one of the pack mothers?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, none of her ancestors or her husband's carried the gene."

Leland sighed. "Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, I don't know if I can do it. It all happened so fast."

I patted his hand again. "I am sure you can. You just have to concentrate on the sensations you felt while it was happening-not right now, of course, but when we get to where we're going. Over time, you'll be able to phase with just a thought."

"What if I don't want to?" he said slowly. "What if I'm like you, and don't want to be a giant freak of nature?"

Recognizing the section of the forest we were entering, I knew we'd be close to our destination within about fifteen minutes. I glanced at Leland and said, "Right now, I'm afraid, you don't have a choice. You _have_ to learn to phase on purpose, so that you can _stop_ yourself from phasing on accident. Remember what I told you earlier-any little thing that upsets you or irritates you or makes you angry can trigger a phase. I know this from experience, and I know that after you talked to Shalayne a little while ago you were on the verge of losing it. To be honest, I don't know what stopped you."

He took the hand that was on top of his and held it, looking over at me as he said, "I think it was you. Your presence, your support, they kept me calm after I changed back the first time. When you touched me, I just felt better knowing you were there for me."

I could feel a flush creeping up my face, so pleased and yet humbled that I had that kind of influence over him, especially at a time when he ought to have been nigh uncontrollable. I wondered if perhaps it had something to do with our two-way pair-bond, if somehow we were each stronger-emotionally, mentally, maybe even physically-because we had _both_ imprinted.

Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that we were both shapeshifters. Leland had said that Seth, Sam and I smelled predatory. Thinking of that now, I subtly sniffed the air, and realized that his natural scent had changed. I might not have noticed before because I was so concerned about his emotional state, but there was a definite shift in the make-up of his smell. He used to have this perpetual scent of fresh-cut wood about him, and a natural masculine muskiness. Now there was a distinct animalistic tang, different from how the wolves smelled. In fact, he really did smell quite a bit like a bird. I also noticed that his heart was beating faster and that his body temperature had increased, so at least that he had in common with the wolves, as both our body temperatures and heart rates had increased after we started phasing.

Shaking myself mentally, I told myself it didn't matter how or why. It only mattered that I'd been able to help him stay calm. Maybe he could use that sense of support if he came close to phasing when I wasn't around.

At last I came to a stop at the side of the dirt road we were on and got out, pocketing Leland's keys. He, too, got out of the car, placing the basket of food on his seat and then looking around in confusion.

"Uh, Leah, there's nothing here," he said, indicating our surroundings.

I grinned and walked around the front end of the car to stand beside him. "That's because we're not there yet, silly," I said, taking his hand and pulling him along behind me. Leland allowed himself to be led, and after another ten minutes of hiking through the woods, we were there.

I had not set foot (either on two or four feet) in this meadow in about three and a half years, not since the day the packs, the Cullens, and their allies had faced the Volturi and their entire guard in defense of Renesmee. Of course, I only went to support Jacob, but that was neither here nor there anymore. Being that it was the end of June now, the clearing-field, really-was not covered in snow as it had been back then, and was a lot more worth looking at now, in early summer, than it had been in the middle of winter. The grass was green and a little tall, and full of wildflowers of nearly every color. There were few clouds in the sky today to block out the bright afternoon sunshine, which lit the entire area beautifully. I'd have driven here in the car, but I knew one needed a four-wheel drive to traverse the trails through the woods.

"Wow," Leland said. "Nice place."

"It is indeed. Now strip."

He looked at me with no small amount of incredulity, and I had to laugh. "I don't mean get naked, fool. Besides, I've already seen everything."

"When did you-" Leland started to say, then stopped himself. "Oh, when I changed back. Right."

I nodded. "And some other day I'll get to see you again, and return the favor, and definitely under more pleasant circumstances."

This earned me a grin. "I'll be looking forward to it," he said. "So why do I need to take my clothes off but not get naked?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Lee, do you really want to ride back in only your birthday suit?" I pointed out.

Leland face-palmed into his right hand. "Man, I'm such an idiot."

"Not an idiot," I returned, "just not thinking clearly. You've never done this before, so you have an excuse. Losing your briefs is better than losing everything."

Leland nodded and sighed, and letting go of my hand, started pulling off his t-shirt as he kicked off his shoes. He reached down and pulled each sock off one at a time and stuffed them in the shoes, threw his shirt on top of them, and then unbuttoned and dropped his jeans, stepping out of those. I tried not to watch as he undressed down to boxer briefs, but it wasn't easy to keep my eyes off of him. After all, I'd wanted this man from day one, and seeing him nearly nude only about an arm's length away was not easy on my healthy libido. I couldn't help but smile, though I tried to hide it, as a new kind of heat flushed my skin.

Leland grinned at my discomfort, then sobered. "Okay, now what?" he asked.

I cleared my throat. "Try to remember what you were feeling when you changed the first time."

His expression fell. "Not hard," he said tightly. "I'd just discovered my grandfather's dead body."

I softened my own expression, sympathy for him rising and cooling my ardor. "I know, honey, but that's not what I mean. What were you feeling physically?"

He looked away as he thought back. "I remember … heat. I suddenly felt really hot, like I was in a tub full of scalding water. I felt like I was vibrating, like my skin and muscles were rolling. And my vision blurred for a moment, before coming into really sharp focus-sharper than anything I'd ever seen before."

"Sounds a little like what wolf phasing is like. Now try to feel that again. Think about it, remember it, and _feel_ it."

Leland closed his eyes. I could tell he was trying, but after five minutes of nothing, he blew out a breath in frustration. "Nothing's happening," he said to me. "I'm remembering it but not feeling it."

I started to say "Don't try so hard" but thought better of it. After all, I knew it wasn't easy at first to command a phase. Frustration and uncertainty, as well as repressed emotional pain, were no doubt clouding his mind.

Looked like I was going to have to push his buttons, I mused-and it wouldn't be a pleasant experience for either of us.

"Why did your sister go into that summer program so soon after your parents died? They'd been gone what, a week? A couple of days? Seems a little odd to me."

Leland frowned. "What do you mean, odd? The memorial service was the usual three days after they passed. She left three days after that, the same day I went to Alaska, which was a week before I came down here."

"Yeah, but your parents were dead. Didn't she want to grieve? Didn't she have any feelings about it? How could she go and hang out with her friends at a time like that?" I pushed, hating every word.

His expression darkened further. "Now wait a minute, Leah-you don't even know Shalayne. You've never even spoken to her on the phone. So don't you go casting judgment when-"

He was breathing heavier with each word, his whole body beginning to tremble as he stood there about to spit harsh words at me. I felt terrible using his sister like that, but it was the first thing that had come to mind.

"You did that on purpose, to make me mad," he said abruptly.

I nodded. "Yes, I did. I'm sorry, but I'm only trying to help," I said. "Now focus on what your body is doing right now. Feel the vibrations, the sensations, and focus on trying to understand and control what is happening to you."

He still looked a little disgusted with me, but Leland nodded. He closed his eyes again, concentrating. Still breathing heavily, he stepped backward a couple of feet before suddenly bursting from man to bird, his outstretched arms becoming great wings, which he flapped as he cried out. The gust of air he generated blew past me, and I smiled into the yellow avian eyes staring back into mine.

"Good job!" I exclaimed as he laid his wings against his body. "Nod once if you can understand me."

I asked him that for a reason-just because our wolves could understand the words of a man when in animal form did not mean that Leland could as a raven. I had to know that he could understand so that I knew he was listening as I tried to instruct him on how to change between forms.

The raven's head bobbed once, and I smiled again. "Go ahead and walk around a little bit. Flap your wings. Get used to this body. The more comfortable you are with it, the easier it will become to phase on command."

Leland nodded again and walked away, slowly at first, but gaining confidence with each step. He stretched and relaxed his wings, flapping them lightly, and then he surprised me by bringing them down with enough force to lift himself off the ground. He turned back with a sharp cry I knew instantly to be one of surprise, before he did the move again. He repeated the flap-and-hop maneuver several times, and I knew he was preparing to try to fly.

"Be careful!" I called out just as he lifted himself into the air.

Leland cried out again, celebrating his success with each beat of his wings. He went nearly as high as the tops of the trees, and would have gone higher if I hadn't reminded him to stay low.

"This might be an uninhabited area, but there could still be hikers out there," I added. "Somebody might see you. Might want to keep the noise down, too."

The cry he answered with was short and not as loud. Leland continued practicing his new skill, flying around the edge of the field.

I was enjoying watching him so much that I almost didn't hear my cell phone ring from my pocket. Startled, I reached for it and looked at the caller I.D., and was quite surprised to see the Cullens' house number. I'd given my cell number to Dr. Cullen in the first days after Sierra had disappeared, when it became apparent that I was going to be the one keeping track of everybody's search areas. He knew, of course, not to use it unless it was important, so I knew right away something was up.

Flipping open the phone, I put it to my ear. "Hello?"

"Leah, this is Dr. Cullen. I apologize if I'm disturbing you."

He was, actually, but he could hardly know that. Carlisle was just being his usual polite self. "What can I do for you, Dr. Cullen?" I asked.

"I wouldn't have called, but I'm trying to locate Sam and Embry. I assume they're both out searching for Sierra, but I have some news for them that they're going to want to hear right away."

I felt my eyes widen-of course, he had to be talking about the results of the DNA test that Sam and Embry had asked for his help with three weeks ago. I'd forgotten about it until that moment, having become so wrapped up with keeping track of nineteen wolves and seven vampires, as well as Leland's shifting moods.

"I did see Sam about an hour or so ago," I told him, "but haven't seen or heard from him since. And I have no idea where Embry could be. Like you said, they're probably out with the search parties."

I eyed Leland as he continued flying around, glad that he seemed to be enjoying himself in spite of the intense grief he had suffered not long ago.

Although I figured he would cite doctor-patient privilege, I couldn't resist asking, "It's about the DNA test, isn't it? You got the results back."

Carlisle chuckled. "You're very perceptive, but I'm afraid I cannot give them to you without speaking to Sam or Embry first."

_Dang_, I thought. "It's okay, I understand," I said, though I'd hoped he might let something slip. I should have known better, though.

"Sam has a cell phone," I went on. "I'll try giving him a call. If I don't get that, I'll call Emily and ask her if she knows where he is."

"Thank you, Leah. I'll be here at the house all afternoon, so please call me and let me know if you find one of them or not."

"I will, Dr. Cullen. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Leah," Carlisle replied.

Hanging up, I slipped the phone back into my pocket. "Hey, Leland!" I called out. "Come on back over here."

The giant raven flew toward me, landing gracefully about five feet away and walking up to me. He leaned forward and gently touched the end of his thick beak to my forehead.

"Alright, you silly bird," I said. "I know I said I'd have you practice shifting between forms, but I have to find Sam or Embry. Why don't you try and change back now?"

When he exhaled, the plumage around his throat puffed out, though since I wasn't used to his raven form, I wasn't sure what that meant. The closest I could relate it to would be a huff, and the thought made me smile a little.

"Now, remember what your body was doing when you phased into a raven?" I asked. Leland nodded. "Remember it now, remember what it felt like. Feel the heat, the fire in your limbs, the vibrations. Focus on that feeling, and you should change back."

Though he would be naked when he changed back, I watched nonetheless. Not for prurient purposes, but because I wanted to see him do it, to see if it would be difficult for him. Leland stepped back once, and though it took another couple of minutes, the raven disappeared at last and the man stood in its place. He wobbled a little, unsteady, and I moved to help keep him upright, dutifully keeping my eyes on his face.

"Good Lord, I'm tired," he exclaimed. "But the flying! What a rush!"

"I'll bet," I replied. "The fatigue is natural. You'll feel like that after every change until your body gets used to shifting from one form to the other. The more you do it, the less it takes out of you."

"And I'll be able to do it with just a thought," he added.

"That's right. Feeling better now?"

His rapid breathing had slowed, though was still a bit high. I had a feeling the breathing issue would return to the human norm once his body got used to phasing, though I suspected the elevated heart rate and body temperature would remain high, like it was with the wolves.

Leland nodded. "I'm good. I think I'd like to get dressed now."

"Okay," I said, and letting go his shoulders, turned around and stepped away.

"Why do you have to find Sam or Embry?" Leland asked.

"Dr. Cullen needs to speak to them. He has the results of their DNA test but he can't find them," I said over my shoulder. "I told you about that, right?"

"Yeah, something about how Sam's dad fooled around on his mother and that Embry's mom might be one of the women he had an affair with. Since they live on the rez and Ms. Call's not Quileute, but Embry's a wolf, his dad had to be from one of the families that carries the gene, and everyone's hoping Sam's his brother."

I nodded as he came to stand in front of me, fully dressed again. I looked at his hair, the long tresses blown by the light breeze that had stirred up, and was suddenly sad.

"Why the long face?" Leland asked.

I sighed. "I was just thinking how you might have to cut your hair."

"Why would I have to cut my hair?"

"I don't know if you will or not," I said with a shrug. "I'll have to pay closer attention to what you look like next time you're in raven form. I only mentioned it because we all had to cut our hair to keep our fur from being too shaggy when we're wolves. I don't know what effect long hair will have on your feathers."

He grimaced a little but nodded. "It'll suck, but if I have to I'll do it."

We started back the way we'd come, and as we walked back toward his car, I tried Sam's cell. No answer there. Next I tried calling his house, and got Emily.

"Thank goodness for cordless phones," she said after I said my usual hello. "I'm nearly as big as this house, which makes moving around it just a little more difficult than usual."

I laughed. "Enjoy it while it lasts. Soon enough you and Sam will be exhausted getting up every two hours to feed that kid."

"Five more weeks-I can't wait," she told me. "So what can I do for you, Leah?"

"Have you any idea where Sam or Embry are?" I asked.

"No. Sam left out of here early this morning, taking Collin's place on the reservation patrol because the poor kid hasn't slept in two days."

"Sam had to order him to get some sleep again?" I said, though that did explain why he'd been close enough to arrive at Old Ray's when Seth and I did.

"Yeah. Hey, real quick-you have any idea what that screeching noise was earlier today? I've asked around and nobody knows anything about it."

"That, uh … that was Leland," I said, casting a sidelong glance at him. "He's phased, Em."

"Oh my," she replied softly. "And the raven won, I take it? Sounded a lot like a bird, but at the time I didn't think any bird could cry out that loud."

"Believe me, Lee can. But Seth and I found him before anyone else did, and Sam was there too, and we got him to change back fairly quickly by talking to him to calm him down. Or rather, I did, I guess. After the ambulance came for Old Ray, I took him out for a drive so he could practice shifting a little-he almost phased again in front of Mrs. Diogi."

Emily chuckled. "That would not have been good," she said. "So why do you need to find Sam and Embry?"

"I got a call from Dr. Cullen. He said the DNA results are in."

"Hmm. Must be who called a few minutes ago. I was in the bathroom and didn't get to the phone in time. If we had caller I.D., I would have called him back. Do you think I should?"

As we emerged onto the road by Leland's car, I reached into my pocket and pulled out his keys, handing them over to him. He nodded and went over to the driver's side as I got in the passenger seat.

"You can call him, but I don't know if you'll have any better luck getting him to tell you the results than I did," I said as the car started up. "Then again, you're Sam's wife, so he might just tell you."

I heard Emily sigh. "No, I'll wait for Sam. He and Embry should be the first to hear the news, good or bad."

The two of us agreed to keep trying to find the two men, knowing that they wanted the results more than anyone else. First person I called after hanging up with Emily was Cailin, but I didn't get an answer, so I tried my mother. She told me she hadn't seen either Sam or Embry, and then said she had cleared up the mess in the living room, and had stripped Old Ray's bed, throwing the sheets and the pillow into the washing machine. She'd also sprayed the mattress thoroughly with a disinfectant and had hauled it out on the porch to dry, so I should warn Leland about it lest he be surprised.

Frustrated by my lack of success, I snapped the phone shut a little harder than I'd intended to. I was startled, though, when Leland suddenly laughed.

"Something funny?" I asked.

He started shaking his head, but chuckled as he did so. "I just realized something ironic about my middle name, something I hadn't even thought of until now."

I realized something then, as well, which was that in the three weeks I had known him, Leland had never told me his middle name. Come to think of it, I wasn't sure I'd told him mine, either.

"Dare I ask?" I prompted.

He glanced at me, one hand on the wheel as he drove, the other brushing his chin in thought. "My parents decided to honor the Lakota who had adopted them into their tribe by requesting a traditional Lakota name from the tribal elders. I have a shortened version for my middle name-my sister has one for hers, too. I once asked my mother why I got that particular name, and she said the shaman gave it to me when she told him she had heard them singing in the tree outside the house right when she went into labor. There was always a pair in that tree-probably the same pair."

"Singing? What was singing?"

He chuckled again. "Crows-cousins of the raven. My Lakota name is Crows Sing In Tree, and my middle name is Crow Song. Talk about twisted freakin' irony."

I chuckled along with him, then decided to reveal my own irony. "Ever since Sam left me, since becoming a wolf and having my life turned upside down, I used to wonder if I'd ever get back to who I was before it all happened. And the more of the boys that imprinted while I remained single, I began to wonder if falling in love was even in the cards for me. I wondered if I would ever get to have kids due to what phasing did to my body. Considering my middle name, I should have known better—I should have had a lot more of it."

Leland looked over again. "More of what?" he asked.

"Faith."

A smile touched his lips, and he switched hands on the wheel so he could reach over and take mine. "Your middle name is Faith?"

I nodded. "And until I stopped phasing, then met you, I think I'd lost it all."


	13. Chapter 12

**12. Surprises Good and Bad**

"You know, this is all really weird."

I looked over. "I know. It takes a lot of getting used to, being something supernatural. But as soon as you learn control, you can go back to living a relatively normal life."

"I know," Leland said, "but that's not what I meant, exactly. As I said before, the raven, in Haida mythology and others, is seen as a messenger-of good omens and bad. The dream I had could be seen as proof of that, as could my middle name. One could say the raven was delivering his message through his cousin the crow. I'm wondering now if the same could be said of my sister."

I felt my eyes widen. "What do you mean?" I asked.

Leland cast me a sidelong glance. "I know that the Quileute wolves are not werewolves in the traditional sense-you explained that to me-which means they are not ruled by the moon as true werewolves are."

"I sense a 'but' coming."

"But you said you guys still think of yourselves as werewolves, which means the association with the moon is there just the same. Shalayne's Lakota name is Sun Shines At Night, and so her middle name is Bright Moon. It was chosen because there was a full, bright moon the night she was born. I remember that night, too-the moon was so bright, you could see good enough to walk through the village without the use of the streetlights. Heck, the fact that she was born at night could be considered a clue."

I began to see what he was getting at. "And now you're thinking that if your Lakota name might somehow have been an omen about your future, that Shalayne's could be an omen about hers."

He nodded. "It makes me question the wisdom of bringing her down here."

"Are you saying you're going to go back to South Dakota?"

"No. I don't know," he replied, shaking his head.

"Look, Lee… I told you a while ago that the Cullens won't be here long, and may not even be back for decades in a year or two. Shalayne could be perfectly safe coming down here."

"I wasn't," Leland retorted, an edge of bitterness in his voice. "I was here less than a day before I learned that the wendigos hiding under my bed weren't just in my imagination, and less than a month before I found out I'm some kind of skinwalker. I don't know if I want my baby sister to go through this crap. She's suffered enough."

I turned in my seat. "Do you think I wanted to go through this? That any of us did? None of us asked for this, Leland. We were born this way-you included. But Fate and Destiny are twisted sisters my friend, and all we can do is deal.

"You should also remember my telling you that a vampire will settle anywhere. Yeah, they prefer places with trees and clouds and the like where they can walk around outside in the daytime, but honey, they've been known to settle in open areas like the plains states, too. So just because they're not fond of open spaces doesn't mean South Dakota is safe. None of us would have changed if we weren't meant to, which means Shalayne will change if she's meant to no matter where she is."

His sigh was full of frustration. "Logically, I get that," he said after a moment. "But the big brother in me can't help wanting to protect her from all the monsters in her closet."

"And I get that, I do," I told him. "But you can't always change what's meant to be. It took me a long time to accept that, and I admit that there are still times it isn't easy to deal with. But I've got no choice."

"That's another thing I don't like-having my choices taken away from me," Leland went on. "What if I don't want to be a skinwalker? What if I'd wanted to choose my own partner in life? How is it fair to me to not have a choice?"

I blinked, taken aback, but tried not to let that show. I had to keep reminding myself that I knew him well enough to know that he wasn't purposely trying to hurt my feelings; all this was new to him and a shock to his system, and he was dealing with it in the only way he knew how. In fact, many of the wolves had reacted with bitterness and anger at having our ability to choose taken from us-I was a prime example. It was going to be a while yet before he could do as we had done, which was accept the fact that sometimes the choice just isn't ours, no matter how much we hate it.

A poem my grandmother used to cherish came to mind. My mother had often cited it to me in the early days following my own transformation. I didn't want to hear it at the time, but as I had walked my own tumultuous path to acceptance, and then set out on another that would get me closer to the person I had been before it had all happened, it had come to mean a great deal more.

"God grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things that I can, and wisdom to know the difference," I said, reciting the words.

Leland actually smiled at me. "My mother loved that prayer."

I sighed. "Leland, in some of this, you do have a choice. You can choose to bring your sister down here or not. You can choose to go back to South Dakota or stay here. You can choose to be with me or with someone else. The only thing you don't have a choice about is whether or not you're a shape-shifter. And you have no choice but to learn control over the animal inside you so that he does not control you."

We were emerging from the forest by the time Leland made a reply to my statement.

"You're wrong about one thing," he said.

"And what is that?"

He reached for my hand and twined our fingers together. "I don't have a choice about you. Even though I've learned and been through some crazy things in the last three weeks, there's one thing I wouldn't change, and that's meeting you. I've got this feeling that even if it weren't for the two-way pair bonding thing, you'd still be my soul mate. I'm not about to give you up."

I smiled hugely and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I wouldn't give you up, either."

Leland returned my smile, though the moment was interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone. I pulled it out of my pocket on the second ring, flipping it open hastily.

"Hey, Sam," I greeted the caller. "I tried to reach you earlier-have you talked to Emily?"

"I'm with her now. She and I are about to leave for the Cullen house to speak to Dr. Cullen. I've spoken with Jacob-he and Embry are to meet us there."

"Well, good luck, Sam," I told him sincerely. "I genuinely hope things turn out the way you guys want. You or Em will call me when you hear?"

"Actually, I'm calling because I would very much like for you to be there."

Now that was a surprise. "You do?"

"Yes. I think had you not spoken with Embry that day, he might not have come to me when he did," Sam said. "I think it was your sincerity that convinced him it was time to seek the answer to the question that has haunted him-haunted us all-his entire life."

I glanced at Leland out of the corner of my eye. "If you're sure, Sam, I'll have Leland head that way," I replied.

"I am," he returned. "By the way, how is Leland?"

I could feel bemusement twitching my lips into a slight smile even though Sam obviously couldn't see me. "How were any of us when we first changed-except maybe Quil?"

Sam chuckled on the other end of the line. Though there were more than a few of the boys who genuinely enjoyed being a wolf, Quil Ateara was perhaps the only one who'd taken the change in stride from the very beginning, because all he wanted was to be with his friends again.

"That good, huh?" Sam went on. "Leah, just stand by him. You know as well as I that he's not going to be quite the same person from now on, and anything he says in anger must be taken with a grain of salt."

I thought of the words that had stung me, and closed my eyes against them. Taking a breath, I said, "I know. It's not easy, but I know."

"Just remember that you love him, and he loves you, and everything will be alright in the end," Sam reminded me.

I smiled. "Thank you, Sam."

"Anything for a sister, Leah. See you soon."

I hung up and slipped the phone back into my pocket. "Where does Sam want me to bring you, his place?"

I shook my head. "To the Cullens.' He actually wants me to be there when he and Embry hear their test results. You don't mind, do you?"

Leland shook his head, and when we came to the main road at last, he turned left toward Forks. "Of course not," he said, sparing me a glance. "Sam is family, to both of us. He was there for me at a time when I didn't even know I needed him, so I can hardly deny his request to have you there for him when he needs you."

I nodded silently, and we rode without speaking all the way to the vampires' house. Though I rested my head back against the headrest, I did not see much of the forestry as we passed it, lost in thought as I was. Sam was right-I loved Leland, there was no denying that. How it could have happened so swiftly, when my heart had been broken for so long, I couldn't even begin to understand.

Maybe it was a part of the pair-bonding? All the pain and bitterness and anger and resentment I'd felt, that I knew still lingered in a dark corner of my soul… All of that had simply disappeared the moment I looked into Leland's obsidian eyes. I don't think I quite realized it at the time, but I knew it without a doubt now. My soul no longer had a dark corner-it was full of light, and brightness, and joy. And yes, love. All that I owed to those twisted sisters Fate and Destiny, and the man that they had chosen for me, who drove with a clouded expression, lost in his own thoughts.

I didn't doubt that Leland cared for me, even that he already loved me, too. And I knew that I could hardly blame him for being bitter about being thrust into a situation like ours, one that only weeks ago had been the stuff of fairytales to him. I understood his desire to protect his sister from the evils of the world, but surely he realized he simply wasn't going to be able to protect her from everything? And being a shapeshifter-a skinwalker, he had called it-if it was meant to be for her as it had proven to be for him, then there was no way to avoid it.

Sure, if she was never exposed to vampires, like my parents and the parents of the other wolves, then yeah, Shalayne could possibly avoid ever having to change. But if I had learned anything over the last three years, it was that things didn't happen that weren't meant to, and only things that were meant to happen did. My parents didn't not become wolves just because the Cullens hadn't been to Forks in their youth, it was because they were never meant to. That was for my generation. Suck as it did, it was our lot in life to be the next pack of tribal protectors.

Then again, even I had to admit that it didn't suck all the time. There was, after all, a certain kind of freedom in being able to turn into an animal. I had even learned to like it. But I still wanted to give it up-had to, I believed-if I was ever going to be right again. Not just because I'd been popular and well liked, but because I wanted to be me again. Though I had come to understand that the wolf was a part of who I was, I had never been able to shake the feeling that I wasn't really _me_ when I was the wolf. And again, there was the fact that I wanted to have children some day. I couldn't do that if I was a wolf.

I realized in that moment that I had been thinking these things like a broken record for the last three years. It had become something of an obsession with me, to stop being the wolf. And yet, when I finally had achieved that almost impossible goal? That was when I got my miracle, and the chance to have everything I had ever wanted.

Go figure.

It was time, I realized as Leland was turning onto the Cullens' private drive, to let go. Now that I had him in my life, and light and love and hope had been restored to my heart and soul, I didn't need to dwell on all the things that had driven me to give up the wolf. I didn't ever need to think about them again, because there was no reason to.

I looked at Leland as he parked next to Sam's car. He looked at me, and his dark expression lifted. He smiled tentatively. "It's going to be alright someday, right? I won't have all these dark and twisted thoughts? I don't like being angry all the time, Leah, it's not me."

Boy, did I ever know how he felt. I smiled at him as I took his hand in mine. "Yes. I promise you, it gets easier. I'm going to help you every step of the way."

Leland sighed, smiled a little more fully, and after giving my hand a squeeze, he pulled the keys from the ignition and got out of the car. I got out as well, and led the way up onto the porch. I had just raised my hand to knock when the door was opened by Emmett. He grinned at me with that devil-may-care expression he usually wore, but upon shifting his gaze to Leland, his countenance changed. I knew he sensed, or perhaps smelled, the change in my bondmate.

I could feel Leland tense behind me, but in the next instant Emmett's smile returned. "Hey, Wolf Girl. Leland. Come on in-we're still waiting on Embry and Jake to get here."

He turned back into the house and I started to follow. Leland grabbed my arm to stop me.

"What is it?" I asked, turning to him.

His eyes followed Emmett's retreat. "The smell. I can't describe it, but it's a really powerful odor, and it was coming from him."

"It's a vampire thing," I replied. "The scent is like pheromones, in a way, distinct to their kind. To us wolves, it's a very sickly sweet smell, and it helps us identify them from normal humans. We smell like dirty, wet dogs to them."

"Well, whatever it is, it smells awful."

I grinned. "Believe me, I know," I said, and proceeded into the house.

I found Emily and Sam sitting with Emmett, Carlisle, and Esme in the living room. Briefly I wondered where Rosalie was, as she was usually never far from Emmett's side. My attention was diverted quickly, however, by Leland tensing up again, obviously assaulted by the strong smell of the vampires. I took his hand again and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

He wasn't the only one to react-Carlisle and Esme both looked up sharply at our entrance, the latter looking to her husband for reassurance as she often did. I could see wonder in Carlisle's eyes, but he earned more of my respect by not asking any questions. He simply stood and walked over to us, greeting us warmly.

"Leah, Leland, its good of you to come," he said, gesturing us further into the room.

"Of course, Dr. Cullen," I said politely as I walked with Leland to stand by Emily and Sam, who sat on the couch. "Sam asked me to come."

"I know," the vampire replied, glancing at Sam. "He is welcome to have whomever he wishes to be here to hear this news."

I looked down at Sam. He'd never been very comfortable being the center of attention, and I knew that having to come into the den of his enemies-even though those enemies were technically allies-wasn't sitting well with the wolf inside of him, and this was only the second or third time I could recall his ever having been here. Emily, on the other hand, only looked mildly uncomfortable, and most of that was probably due to her being so very pregnant. She didn't hate or fear the vampires as the wolves did, but neither did she feel entirely comfortable in their presence. Today, though, I felt pretty sure anything she was feeling was due to her concern for Sam.

A commotion outside alerted us to new arrivals. Everyone looked toward the sliding glass doors that led out onto the patio, and I could clearly see Embry and Jacob, as well as Edward, Bella and Renesmee. Embry and Jake were shoving each other playfully as they approached the house.

The moment they all came inside, I heard Leland inhale sharply. I glanced up immediately. His face had darkened and his eyes had taken on a wild look that reminded me of the frightened raven I had encountered back in his grandfather's house. Following his wide-eyed stare, I saw Edward staring back, as he purposely pushed his daughter behind him. That got Emmett and Esme to their feet, as well as Sam, and though no one-save Leland and possibly Edward-knew what was going on, we all knew that something was about to happen.

In the next moment, I realized that Leland's hand had grown incredibly hot, and that his breathing had become rapid and shallow. I knew instantly that he was on the verge of shifting, though I didn't understand what had triggered it. I turned fully to him and reached for his face as I had done that morning, to try and calm him down, but before my hands could touch his skin, he shoved me away and ran for the front door. As I was regaining my balance to follow, we heard the cry of the raven.

"Leland!" I cried out as I ran out onto the porch.

I was too late. Though the raven cried out again, it sounded much farther away-already I could not see him. Despair settled in my heart as I felt cold hands on my shoulders, and I turned to find Emmett standing behind me, Sam at his side. "I have to go-I have to find him."

Sam looked at me. "Leland will go home as soon as he settles down, Leah. You won't be able to find him while he is in the air, so there is nothing you can do for him now."

I glanced down at the shreds of Leland's clothes strewn across the porch and ground. I spotted his wallet and the keys to the Thunderbird and moved to retrieve them, and with one last, furtive glance up at the sky, I reluctantly followed Sam and Emmett back into the house. Without being told to, I dropped onto the couch next to Emily, cradling Leland's things in my hand.

"I don't understand," I muttered. "Walking in here didn't do anything to him. He thought you guys smelled awful, but that's probably a natural reaction, like ours. But it didn't do anything to him. I don't understand."

Edward approached me, kneeling in front of me until I looked at him. "Leah, Leland left here because of Renesmee," he said.

I glanced up, looking for the little girl, and noticed for the first time that neither she, nor Bella, nor even Esme, were still in the room. I looked back at Edward. "But why?"

His tone was wry as he said, "He had much the same reaction to her that I had to Bella when first I inhaled her scent-a primal instinct to kill. Of course, I am certain it was the animal inside of him she appealed to, and not him. He left because he did not want to give in to it. I heard it in his thoughts."

"I still don't understand, though," I said almost plaintively. "How could she garner such a reaction, but not the rest of you?"

"Renesmee has a heartbeat and blood, unlike the rest of us," spoke up Carlisle. "The scent of her blood's unique qualities must have triggered his animal side."

I looked up at the doctor and although I saw some concern in his expression, I also saw what looked like fascination. He was obviously very interested in the fact that Leland's animal form was different from ours.

Emily reached over and laid her hand on mine. "I'm sure he will be fine, Leah. Perhaps one more thing he has to get used to, but he'll be okay."

I found that I couldn't reply, I was so worried about Leland. My heart was telling me to go after him, but then where would I go? I didn't know where he was, what direction he had flown. Sam, I had to admit, was right. Until he calmed down and came home, there was nothing I could do.

I looked up, taking in the silent presence of Embry and Jacob across the room. Clearing my throat, I said at last, "Why don't we get to the reason we're here, shall we?"

Edward stood and moved away. Embry and Jacob came closer as Carlisle reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope. From this he withdrew a single sheet of paper and, unfolding that, he read:

"DNA comparison between the subjects listed above revealed that they share a number of markers of paternal origin, leading to the conclusion that they are, at the least, half brothers."

Sam and Embry looked at each other. Nobody said a word as they seemed to study one another with a sense of wonder, as if it were the first time they'd ever seen the other. Then Sam was crossing the room and throwing his arms around the younger man, to whom he breathed but one word:

"_Brother_."

Embry returned the embrace heartily, laughing with joy. Emily raised herself up off the couch and walked over to give Embry a hug as Jacob clapped Sam on the shoulder in a congratulatory manner. Though as a wolf Sam had always considered Embry a brother, even after his defection to Jacob's pack, it was a comfort and a relief to have that connection confirmed. I was happy for them, I really was, but I could not stop my mind from drifting to Leland and worrying about him. Though I didn't want to be rude, I got up and quietly left the house.

I wasn't alone as I walked away. Emmett followed me outside.

"Going out to look for your dude?" he asked. "I'll help if you want."

I turned around as I reached the driver's side door of the Thunderbird. Emmett actually looked concerned, standing there with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans and wearing an expression of worry.

I sighed, feeling tears sting the back of my eyes. "My gut is screaming at me to go look for him," I said. "I'm so scared that he's going to be seen or get hurt. But Sam was right. I don't know where he's gone, so there's nothing I can do but wait for him to come home. It's killing me to do nothing but wait, but what choice do I have?"

I sniffled, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. "Please give my regrets to Sam and the others. Tell them I am truly happy for them."

With that, I hurriedly got in the car and left.

* * *

><p>When I got back to the reservation, I'd immediately gone to the Whistler cottage, hoping Leland would have gone straight there. It was a vain hope, as when I arrived there was no sign of him. Worry clouded my thoughts, but I knew that the best thing I could do for him was to be here when he got back, whenever that would be. I took the non-perishables out of the trunk of Leland's car and put them away, then hauled the mattress to his grandfather's bed back into the house and put it back on the box spring. I stopped for a moment, wondering if I should put fresh sheets on it, but decided against it for now-though I gave my mother a mental nod for thinking of clearing the sheets away and cleaning the mattress, as the idea had never occurred to me at all.<p>

Next I went into Leland's room, hesitating just inside the door as his smell was very strong there. Shaking myself, I went to the small dresser and gathered clothes for him, setting them out on the porch swing. I sat next to the pile of folded clothes for a while, desperately hoping he would appear soon, but the late afternoon faded into early evening all too quickly. Emily stopped by after a few hours, how many I couldn't say. She sat with me a while in silence, probably remembering how frantic with worry I'd been when this had happened to me before, when Sam had first changed four years ago.

How I hoped and prayed it didn't take Leland two weeks to come home.

She tried encouraging me to eat something as night was falling, but I had no appetite, and when she offered to stay with me through the night, I thanked her weakly for the kind offer, but told her she should go home to Sam. After her car disappeared down the long drive, I went inside, pulled the blanket off of Leland's bed and wrapped it around me, then returned to the porch swing he had made for me, where I eventually fell asleep.

The next thing I knew, I was being lifted into the air. I opened my eyes to see Leland's handsome, though tired, face above me. When he noticed I was awake, he gently set me on my feet, and I threw my arms around him. I held him tightly and nearly sobbed with relief as his arms wound around me.

"I'm sorry to have worried you," he said.

"I was so scared someone would see you or that you would get hurt," I replied hoarsely.

"Honey, I'm sorry," Leland said again, then stood back from me. I noted that he'd put on the clothes I'd laid out. "But I had to get out of there. That girl, she smelled so different from the vampires. I could feel the raven trying to break free, because it wanted to…"

I nodded. "Edward told us what he heard in your thoughts. He said you left because you didn't want to give in to that urge."

"I didn't," he said, sounding disgusted. He turned and dropped onto the swing. "The idea of killing an innocent child revolted me just as much as the desire to kill and eat her appealed to the raven. How twisted is that? Just the thought makes me sick to my stomach."

Picking up the blanket, which I had dropped when I hugged him, I moved to sit next to him, saying, "But you didn't do it, Lee. The fact that you had enough control over yourself and the raven to get out of there before you did something you knew you would regret shows how much strength of will you have already. That's a good thing."

He shrugged, staring silently out into the empty yard. I looked up at the starry sky and wondered what time it was.

"I came back because I knew you would be worried about me," Leland said at last. "I didn't want to make you worry any more than I knew you already were. Landed right out there in the yard, not even completely sure I'd be able to change back like I did before."

He looked over at me. "Then I saw you out here, waiting for me. That you love me enough to wait here…"

I hushed him by putting my hand to his lips. "That is precisely why I waited right here. Because I love you."

He took my hand in his and kissed the back of it. "I love you, too," he said, then laughed. "Aren't we a couple of saps?"

I chuckled and laid my head on his shoulder with a sigh. "Absolutely. Not that I would change that one bit."

We sat in silence, Leland's arm around my shoulders, the blanket over my lap, for some time before he said, "I'm scared, Leah."

I sat up. "Scared of what?" I asked.

"That the next time I lose control I'm going to hurt someone. Maybe even you. Maybe Shalayne."

"But Lee, you didn't lose control, not exactly. You showed a hell of a lot more restraint than a lot of us did in the beginning. You got yourself out of there before anything bad happened."

"But what if next time I don't have that control? What if that was a freak thing, like because there were so many vampires there that would have torn me to shreds had I hurt that kid? Not to mention Jacob," he went on.

I sighed. "Maybe it was a freak thing, maybe it wasn't. But you can't get yourself so worked up with worry that you're going to hurt someone, honey, or it will take even longer for you to learn real control."

Leland looked at me again. "Does it ever go away?" he asked.

"It subsides, eventually. I don't know that the fear of hurting someone ever goes away-sometimes I still worry that I'm going to snap and hurt my mom or Seth. But what keeps that fear under control is an even greater fear."

"There's something worse?"

"Yes," I said. "I never want them to be afraid of me. Seth I really don't worry about so much anymore, because he's a wolf too, and would simply shift and then we'd fight until we were both spent. But I don't ever want to see fear of me in my mother's eyes. Despite how angry and bitter I was in the beginning, I think that's one of the things that helped me get under control then. I don't think I could stand it if my mother was afraid of me."

"That's pretty much how I feel. Not only do I not want to hurt someone, I don't want to be feared. If you or Shalayne ever…"

I held his face in my hands and looked into his eyes. "Never gonna happen."

"You sound so sure of yourself. How can that be?" Leland wondered.

I smiled as I sat back and returned my head to his shoulder. "Years of practice."

After a few moments of silence, Leland asked me how things had gone at the Cullen house after his disappearing act. "What are the results of the test?"

"What we all hoped-Sam and Embry are half brothers," I replied. "Although having Embry for a brother would have been an honor to any of us, because he's turned out to be a fine young man, none of us who could have possibly been family can deny the relief at knowing our father isn't his father, too."

* * *

><p>Three weeks ago, Emily had told me that she didn't think that Embry had any plans to go public with the results of the DNA test, no matter what they turned out to be. Nor did she think he even planned to tell his mother, which I had agreed with. And while it was impossible to keep the information from the other members of the two packs because of the shared mind, both Sam and Embry had asked that the others keep the information to themselves. But as neither Alpha had made the request an order (Jake in particular despised the idea of forcing his pack to do something they didn't want to do), by the end of the following day, we knew someone had let it slip, because the entire village was abuzz with talk about it.<p>

Sam and Jacob were disappointed in the lack of self-control, but after a moment's thought, Embry shrugged it off, stating that it was only inevitable that everyone would know. He was glad, he said, that the truth was finally out, so that the speculation and whispers behind their backs could finally end. His mother, when confronted in the village store (someone asked her if it was true that a DNA test had proved Joshua Uley was Embry's father), replied with a simple, "I never said he wasn't," and then walked away.


	14. Chapter 13

**13. Two Visitors, a Funeral, and the Sound of Wedding Drums**

In very small communities, it is pretty much a given that everybody who lives there knows everyone else. Maybe not well, but enough to greet each other by name.

The Quileutes are no different. My people number around 750 total (yes, sadly, that number is all that remains of a once great Nation), and I'm fairly certain that no less than 700 of us live on the reservation. When you live in a village of less than one thousand people, it is inevitable that news will travel, and travel fast. Take Old Ray's death for instance. Within an hour of his passing, every member of the tribal council knew, the first (probably Billy Black or Big Quil Ateara, father of Jake's friend) having been informed by my mother. It was something of a duty for the council to be among the first people informed when one of the tribe died, and certainly when the person who had passed was a member of the council, as Old Ray had been.

By the time Leland had returned after his impromptu flight (it was about 1:30 in the morning when he woke me, I later learned), the entire village knew-thanks, in no small part, to Mrs. Diogi. Though I hadn't listened to them during my long wait, there were several dozen messages on the Whistlers' answering machine from members of the tribe offering their condolences to Leland. A number of them (some people he had not even met yet) offered to bring him food, and more than one offered their help in arranging the funeral. Leland had been deeply touched, and told me that he would, at the least, seek the advice of the council on what his grandfather would have wanted.

After we ate a small dinner together in their kitchen the following evening, Leland asked me if I would stay the night with him. I paused in the midst of washing a plate, feeling my eyes go wide, and Leland laughed at my expression.

"Honey, as much as I look forward to sharing myself with you, that's not what I meant," he said. "I just don't want to be alone tonight. I didn't sleep a wink this morning after I took you home."

"You have looked pretty exhausted today," I said, washing the plate and rinsing it, then putting it in the drying rack. "I thought it was because of making the arrangements and going through his things."

Leland nodded. That's what he and I had done that day-visited with the tribal council on what kind of service to have for Old Ray, and then gone through his personal belongings. Old Ray was to be buried the next afternoon in the village cemetery after a small ceremony with few attendees, and then later that night Leland would host a bonfire party to celebrate his long life and contributions to the tribe. To that, all who knew him were invited to attend. When we went through the things in his room afterward, Leland decided to give most of his clothing to charity, though he was keeping a few of the plaid shirts Old Ray had become fond of. On the shelf in the closet he had found a small box full of family pictures, some of them very old, some of them featuring his own father, Little Ray, and his grandmother.

In that same box he found a bundle of letters. Those turned out to be every letter Little Ray had written to his father, begging for understanding and forgiveness. At first Leland's dad had been hopeful of reconciliation, but his frustration became evident the more time that passed and Old Ray failed to respond. His final letter was very brief, only a few sentences:

_Father, I'm sorry things had to work out this way. I'd hoped to make things right-maybe someday I still can. Until then… Remember that I love you. Always your son, Raymond._

The yellowed page was crumpled and splotched with what looked like tear stains. I sat mutely next to Leland on the edge of his grandfather's bed as he held the single sheet of paper in his hands. After a long silence he said, "If their differences upset Grandfather so, why didn't he ever write back? Was it really the shame of giving in when my mother's parents said Dad wasn't good enough for her? I've wondered that so many times over these last three weeks, and now I'll never get the chance to ask him."

Nothing I said would comfort him or ease his pain, so I remained silent, and sat there with an arm around his waist as he carefully folded the letter and tucked it back into its envelope.

There in the kitchen, Leland looked at me. "I can't deny that doing that stuff wore me out. But … I'm sure I'm being ridiculous, especially at my age, but I can't stand the thought of going to sleep in this house alone. He was always here, just down the hall, and now he's not." He shrugged his broad shoulders, turning back to the sink and pulling the plugs to let the water drain. "I just wondered if you'd stay here with me so I can finally get some sleep. I'll be on the couch and you can have my bed. Unless, of course, you want to go home. I won't be upset if you do."

I thought only briefly of the fact that he didn't have to sleep on the couch, but I surmised Leland wasn't ready to let anyone else sleep in his grandfather's bed just yet-it still belonged to Old Ray.

"Leland, I would feel awful if you dropped from exhaustion tomorrow because I went home and you spent another sleepless night alone," I told him, which was true. "Of course I'll stay. I'd be more than happy to."

The relief that crossed his face was plain, and I was happy to be able to help him feel better. And of course there was also that girly part of me that was humming with excitement at the prospect of spending the night with my boyfriend.

After making a quick call to my mother to let her know my plans, we finished the evening by packing the last of the things in Old Ray's room. He was not one of those old people who became pack rats, which made the job easier. Some families needed weeks to go through a loved one's belongings; Leland needed just a day, because Old Ray didn't have much. He'd lived a simple life by simple means-material things apparently weren't all that important to him. Also among the things we found during our work was the deed to the house. Although I knew that Old Ray's grandfather had built the house more than a hundred years ago, it was proof that, at some point between then and now, one of the Whistlers had been forced to mortgage the property.

Underneath the deed was another important document-Old Ray's will, or at least a copy of it. The will, like the man who'd written it, was simple. And it had been updated recently, too: The house and property on which it sat (just shy of two acres of the surrounding woods) had been left to Leland, along with everything that was inside it, and what money Old Ray had left in the bank was to be used to finish the renovations, after his funeral expenses were paid. He wrote that he hoped his grandson would stay in the house and raise his family there, but that should he decide to sell it, he should finish fixing it up first.

Leland said he had no idea when in the last three weeks Old Ray could have done this, and was so overcome with emotion that he nearly cried again.

When we had closed the last of the boxes and shut the door to Old Ray's room, Leland and I sat on the couch to watch a movie. The decision to watch a comedy was unanimous, both of us recognizing the need to lighten the mood. I sat on one end of the couch with his head in my lap, wondering how he would ever be comfortable when it was not long enough to fit his six-foot-four height. But whether it was because the couch was surprisingly comfortable, or my nearness (a selfish, sappy thought, I know), Leland was asleep before the movie had ended. I turned off the television with the remote and, as gently as I could, extricated myself out from under his head. I checked the doors to make sure they were locked, turned out all the lights, and headed for his room at the back of the house.

I lay down gingerly, feeling foolish for being nervous about sleeping in Leland's bed. Soon enough, though, I was drifting off, my senses full of the scent that was uniquely his and his alone. I loved that smell.

While I slept, I dreamed that Leland crawled in bed with me, holding me and whispering that he loved me in my ear. I had no idea until I woke the next morning that his joining me in the bed was no dream. As sleep slowly lifted, I became acutely aware of the presence of extra warmth. I immediately thought of Leland, and assuming I was still dreaming, I curled myself around his body.

That, of course, brought me to full awareness, because it was then that I realized the body next to me was very real. My eyes snapped open, and I found that my head was resting on his chest, an arm thrown across his waist, my legs twined with his. Just to make sure I _wasn't_ still dreaming, I listened for the beat of his heart, felt for the rise and fall of his breathing. Yup, he was real alright. I felt heat flood my veins, a mixture of embarrassment and lust, and quickly tamped it down hard. First, there was no reason to be embarrassed, as we were both consenting adults. Second, it wasn't as if he and I had never held one another or kissed, so it wasn't as if our bodies hadn't been close before. But the near intimacy of our being wrapped around each other, in his bed, was sufficient enough to have my cheeks burning.

Leland must have been awake already, or I caused him to stir, as just then his arms came around me and gave me a gentle squeeze. "Good morning," he said sleepily.

"Uh, good morning to you, too," I replied. "Um, get any sleep last night?"

He chuckled. "Slept like a baby after I came back here."

I lifted my head slowly to look at him. My expression was apparently amusing because he laughed. "You couldn't have been gone from the couch an hour before I woke up. I came back here to make sure you were okay, and must have stood in the doorway ten minutes just watching you sleep. You looked so beautiful and so peaceful, I couldn't resist joining you. I promise I was a perfect gentleman."

_You didn't have to be_, I thought wickedly, but stopped just short of saying the words out loud. Leland was in no condition emotionally to handle the complications of a physical relationship. Besides, though we knew we loved each other, we'd still only known each other for three weeks-and even Cosmopolitan magazine said to wait at least four. I'd made Sam wait three years, until after we'd graduated from high school, before I slept with him for the first time. And while I suspected that Leland was no virgin, I had always had the idea that he was more of a "doing things the proper way" kind of guy. He would wait until the time was right, and though I knew I couldn't prevent myself from wanting to be with him, I was more than willing to wait, making it the right time for both of us.

After all, I'd waited this long for my perfect man-I could certainly wait a little longer to make love to him.

Instead of the wicked thought I'd had, I said in reply, "Well, if it helped you sleep, I'm glad I was here."

Leland grinned. "Of course, if this insomnia becomes a problem, I might have to have you stay with me every night."

And here I was, trying to be a good girl. I shook my head, chuckling. "Are you sure you're going to be able to remain a gentleman if I'm here every single night?"

He pursed his lips, as if seriously considering his response. "Well-"

Leland's response was interrupted by an insistent pounding on the front door. A high-pitched, female voice shouted, "Leland! Leland Crow Song Whistler, I know you're in there! You open the door right this minute!"

Leland's eyes widened, and with a hurried apology, he shot out of bed and into the hall. I quickly followed, running my hands through my shoulder-length hair as I followed him into the living room. The pounding continued until he threw the deadbolt and pulled the door open.

"Shalayne!" he said, surprise evident at the sight of his little sister standing on the threshold.

Shalayne Whistler was tall, athletically thin, and very beautiful. Her copper skin was as perfect and flawless as my own, her dark brown eyes large and bright, and her ebony hair fell straight to her waist. She brushed past Leland in annoyance, spared me only a glance, then spun around and said, "Where is the bathroom? I haven't peed in like, six hours."

As Leland seemed to have been struck speechless, I answered her. "Just down the hall, the middle door."

Shalayne nodded once and spun on her sandal-clad heel for the bathroom. I turned back to Leland as an older man, also American Indian, stepped inside the door. He looked for just a moment between Leland and myself and then smiled. We stood there, no one speaking, for several minutes as the two men stared at one another.

Shalayne returned from the bathroom then, and as if woken from a spell, Leland turned to her. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, come off it, big brother. Did you really think I was going to miss our grandfather's funeral? Hardly fair of you to keep me from paying my respects, when I didn't even get the chance to get to know him like you did," Shalayne said, her hands on her hips.

A pained expression crossed Leland's face, and fearful of his being provoked into shifting, I laid a hand on his shoulder. Though his breathing had started to become shallow, he amazingly maintained his temper, and shot me thankful glance.

"Of course not," he said, stepping forward and embracing his sister warmly. "Forgive me, sister."

She hugged him back, the bracelets she wore clicking together and she clasped her hands together behind his back. "You're forgiven," Shalayne said, laying her head on his shoulder. "But I had to come, you know I did."

"Of course," he said as they separated, then glanced at her traveling companion. "I'm just glad you didn't come alone."

"You know how insistent Bright Moon can be," said Branson, earning a narrow-eyed stare from Shalayne. "It was either me, or Aitana, and however much I love my daughter…"

Leland laughed. "I wouldn't have wanted her behind the wheel for such a long drive, either. Anyway, you're here now, and to be honest, I'm glad to have you."

Branson raised his eyebrows and looked pointedly at me. Leland stepped back, standing next to me, and said, "Leah, allow me to introduce you to my sister, Shalayne Whistler, and my godfather, Branson Greatwood. Sis, Branson, this is Leah Clearwater."

Branson stepped forward first and offered his hand to me. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last, Leah. I got just one letter from Crow Song here about you, and his description did not nearly do you justice."

I could feel a blush coloring my cheeks as I shook the older man's hand. "Thank you, that's kind of you to say. I'm really happy to meet you as well."

I turned slightly to face Shalayne then, who was obviously giving me the once-over, as if determining whether or not I was good enough for her brother. I couldn't say then what conclusion she came to, perhaps she chose to make her mind up later. In any case, she smiled politely, saying, "Leland's told me a lot about you. I guess I should thank you for being his friend when he really needed one."

"It was my pleasure," I replied.

"Leah's more than just a friend, Shalayne," Leland put in, causing me to color more. "She means a lot to me."

The younger woman raised an eyebrow. "So you said."

"As it was," stepped in Branson, "as soon as she hung up the phone with you, I'm sure, Bright Moon called me and demanded I come and pick her up from the campground where they were holding the Youth Initiative seminar. Said if I didn't come and get her, she would call Aitana to come and get her, so obviously I went. We've been on the road almost constantly since, except when we stopped to stretch our legs or sleep."

"You said the funeral was today, and that you were having some sort of party tonight," Shalayne said. "I wanted to be here."

"Not a party precisely," Leland said. "I've just had enough sadness and well-wishing to last me a lifetime. I figured it was better to have a celebration of Grandfather's life rather than some gathering where everyone was morose and depressed."

"And who knows such gatherings for celebrating life like a First Nations people? I've no doubt the Quileutes are as practiced as the Lakota in such events," said Branson.

I thought back to my father's wake three years ago, how it had actually started out very sad, until someone-I still don't know who-told one of my father's favorite jokes. My mother laughed, and from that moment on, it indeed became more like a quiet party, where everyone talked and told jokes and shared all the good things about who my father had been.

Nodding, I said, "We most certainly are."

* * *

><p>Leland and I made breakfast for ourselves and the two guests. As we sat and ate we talked, and Shalayne warmed up to me more, for which I was glad. I certainly didn't want her to dislike me, which would have made things difficult for Leland, pair bond or no pair bond. As we were cleaning up after, Billy Black called about the funeral that afternoon and the bonfire that night. Leland spoke with him at length, approving the final arrangements. I could see in the relaxed set of his shoulders how relieved he was to have so much of the burden in someone else's hands-Billy, Old and Big Quil, and Mom had made the majority of the arrangements, checking with Leland just to get his approval.<p>

The burial that afternoon was somber. In attendance were all the members of the tribal council, Mom and Seth, Sam and Emily, myself, Leland, Shalayne and Branson. Old Ray was laid to rest in the grave next to his wife's, who had died of cancer just two years before Little Ray had met Anita Raven. Not much was said beyond the usual words of consecration, as stories about Old Ray would be shared later that night.

Seth, though I was certain he was trying to be respectful, was nevertheless staring quite pointedly at Shalayne. More than once I caught him at it, at which time he would shake his head and look away. At first I didn't understand why, but then it dawned on me and I felt so sorry for him.

_Poor kid_, I thought.

As we were leaving the cemetery, I stepped back to his side and put my arm around his shoulders. Leaning close, I said, "Seth, if you haven't felt it by now, then she's not the one."

Seth kicked a stone. "Woulda been nice if she was," he said dejectedly.

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? She's beautiful, I admit, but would you really want to imprint on your future sister-in-law? Don't you think that might be a bit weird?"

He thought about it for a moment. "I guess so. Think she's the one for any of the other guys?"

"Who knows?" I said with a shrug. "We'll certainly find out before the night is over with."

* * *

><p>The bonfire party for Old Ray attracted a lot of people. There were two fires, about thirty feet apart, around which were gathered dozens of people, young and old, eating, laughing, and having a good time. Even though most of them knew him very little or not at all, as in the last years of his life Old Ray <em>had<em> become very reclusive, he had been a member of the tribe, and everyone who lived in the village came for a few minutes to pay their respects. Old Quil was, as usual, one of the main attractions, especially for the younger kids. He sat at the same fire as Leland, Shalayne, Branson and I, engaging the children by telling them stories about our tribe in years past.

Several of the wolves had come as well, and those who had imprinted had brought their mates. Jacob had even brought Renesmee to the gathering so she could learn a little about the people he came from, though I admit to being thoroughly surprised that Edward and Bella had let the girl out of their sight, even if it was just for a few hours. She sat between Jake's knees a few feet away from me, listening to Old Quil tell his stories.

To my right, I could not help but notice that Kim and Jared were in the midst of a rather deep discussion. I really did try not to listen, but my hearing was still sharper than normal, and their voices had begun to carry.

"We have just two more days to wait, baby. Why the rush?" Jared asked her.

"I'm not rushed, Jared," Kim insisted. "I just have this feeling like right now is the right time."

"This isn't even our party-this is a party for Old Ray. To remember him and everything he did for the tribe," her fiancé went on.

"I'm aware of that, thank you. At least let me ask him," Kim said, and without waiting for further response from Jared, she got up and started in my direction, stopping in front of Leland, who was seated next to me.

Leland looked up. "Something I can help you with, Kim?" he asked.

Kim glanced at Jared, who had come to stand next to her. He shrugged as if to say, "It's your show, not mine."

Clearing her throat, she said, "Leland, I know you and I don't know each other well, and that this is a party to celebrate your grandfather. If you think it would be an intrusion on that, please don't hesitate to tell me. It's just that… well, I just had this overwhelming urge to get married. Here, tonight."

A number of heads turned in our direction. Old Quil even stopped speaking in the midst of telling a story. I could see Kim coloring with embarrassment, but she squared her shoulders and set her chin, and I don't think I had ever seen her be so forward or determined. Truthfully, I was kinda proud of her for getting up the nerve to speak at all, as she'd always been a quiet thing.

Taking Leland's silence as a sign, Jared said, "I told her it wasn't a good idea, man. This night isn't about us, and we're getting married in two days anyway."

"I don't know what it is," Kim said. "I was just remembering seeing you and Old Ray at the village store last week, how it was just a few days before he… Anyway, you were paying for your items and I was behind you guys. He looked at my engagement ring and he said something to me about how pleased he was that Jared had had some sense knocked into him, and that he believed we would have a long and happy marriage. I thought that was so sweet of him to say when he barely knew me. And I just … I suddenly wanted to do it right now, so that he could be with us."

Leland stood slowly, looked between Kim and Jared, and smiled. He leaned forward and kissed Kim's cheek, then said, "I think Grandfather would like that very much, and I am honored you would want to share the celebration of your marriage with the celebration of his life."

Jared looked incredulous. "Dude, are you sure?"

Leland looked at Shalayne, who nodded her approval, then back to him. "Why not? We're celebrating life tonight, aren't we?"

Kim's mother, whom I had not seen approach, stepped closer. "Honey, are you sure this is what you want to do?"

Kim nodded. "I'm sure. Of course, if Jared wants to wait, I will, because it is just two more days after all…"

Shaking his head, Jared smiled. "No, babe, it's cool with me. I just wanted to be sure it was what _you_ wanted."

Mentally I was laughing. Kim could have said she wanted to get married on the moon and Jared would have happily agreed-it was a side effect of the imprinting that a wolf did whatever it took to make his mate happy. Kim wanted a spontaneous wedding? Sure thing!

Very quickly, the arrangements were made. It wasn't difficult, as their wedding had been planned to be a very simple affair anyway, and not at all elaborate. Old Quil was already set to be officiator, so there was no need to call him up and ask him to come out. Kim and her mother went home so she could change, and to grab the marriage license that the state of Washington required them to have. Jared went and changed into something more decent than shorts and a ratty t-shirt, and Kim's bridesmaids went to change into their gowns. In less than an hour everyone was ready and back at the beach.

The three bridesmaids wore simple, pale yellow sundresses. As the girls were walking in sand instead of on a tiled floor, they'd all elected to wear sandals as they made their way toward the makeshift altar where Old Quil waited with Jared and Sam, who was his best man. Kim's parents were divorced and her father had not been much a part of her life, so her mother was serving as her escort as she approached the man who was about to become her husband. Her dress was simple as well, a white satin, strapless shift with an empire waist that brushed the sand as she walked. I thought she looked beautiful.

Old Quil spoke eloquently about the sanctity of marriage and the celebration of life, how we should keep those who were not with us in our hearts as we moved forward into the future. I had no doubt that everyone there knew he was not only speaking of Old Ray, but of the still missing Sierra.

"Looking forward to when it's our turn?" Leland whispered in my ear as Old Quil conducted the formal ceremony.

I was so surprised by his words that I nearly choked, and had to cough into my hand so as not to draw attention to myself. It was not the first time he'd said something suggestive to me, but each time he made such a comment I was still taken aback by the forwardness of it.

"That, uh, won't be for a while yet, of course," I whispered back, "as in probably sometime next year-or later."

"June 5th would be perfect, I think," he said, almost absently. "I know June's a bit cliché for getting married-probably why Kim and Jared chose the first week of July-but the anniversary of the day we met sounds good to me."

Unable to think of anything to say to that, I simply let myself blush and laid my head on his shoulder. The ceremony was ending, and suddenly we heard the sound of drums. Billy Black, Jacob, Paul, and a few of the other wolves had, sometime during the preparations, found some traditionally made drums, and were now tapping them in an old, timeless rhythm. Billy began to chant what was probably an ancient tune, and soon others joined him, including Old Quil. Jared and Kim kissed, to which everyone without a drum applauded, and then he began to dance with her. When the tune changed, other couples joined them. I watched Seth nervously ask Shalayne to dance, to which she replied with a nod and stood.

Leland held out his hand. "Dance with me? Be the first time we ever danced together."

"Not exactly your usual dancing music," I said, though I still put my hand in his and let him draw me close.

"Nobody else seems to mind, why should we?" he said as he began turning us in a slow circle.

I chuckled. "Good point."

After a moment he asked me, "Did I freak you out when I talked about getting married?"

"A little," I admitted with a nod. "But only because I didn't expect the subject to come up so soon. We haven't even known each other a full month yet."

"Be a month in four days," he pointed out.

"I know that, Lee."

"There was also a time when men and women got married after knowing each other just a few days. A month was a serious courtship back then."

I scoffed. "No offense, love, but the times have changed dramatically."

We danced in silence for a minute or two before Leland spoke again. "Look, Leah," he began with a small sigh. "I've always been the kind of person who knows what he wants. And I know I've said this before, but I want you-I want us, forever. Even without the imprinting mumbo-jumbo, I'd still have fallen in love with you."

He made a point of drawing back and looking into my eyes. "Even though I haven't known you a full month yet."

I couldn't stop the huge smile that came to my lips, even though I felt myself blushing furiously at the same time. Although Sam had certainly said his share of sweet things to me while we'd dated, with Leland the words felt much more meaningful-perhaps because with being imprinted, I knew that with him there would definitely _be_ a forever. I felt so warm and loved in that moment that, had he suddenly dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him, I probably would have said yes.

Instead I drew him back to me, saying, "Well then, Mr. Whistler, just think: Only eleven more months to dream of the sound of your own wedding drums."

* * *

><p>After the party had ended a couple hours later, when Jared and Kim had been sent to a hotel in La Push for the night courtesy of Kim's mother and a financial gift from several of the attendees, the beach was cleaned up and everyone began to make their way home. Leland, Branson, Shalayne and I were the last to depart.<p>

Leland stood staring up at the night sky, his arms crossed over his chest. As Branson and I were dousing the last embers of the two fires, Shalayne stepped up to her brother and leaned against his side. "Whatcha thinkin' about?"

He uncrossed his arms and wrapped them around her. "Grandfather. Hoping he really would be okay with me letting Kim and Jared get married at a party that was supposed to be in his honor."

"Maybe it was Grandfather's spirit that spoke to Kim and told her she should do it," Shalayne suggested. "She said she was thinking about him when she got the idea."

She then looked up at her brother's face. "Do you think Grandfather and Daddy have met again on the other side? Do you think they've finally made up?"

"Grandfather made his peace with the past the night I came down here, and you know Dad did years ago, so yeah, I think so. I bet they're both happy they're finally able to be a family again."


	15. Chapter 14

**14. In Life and Death**

When a beautiful girl arrives in town, she's bound to cause quite a stir with the male population. When Shalayne wasn't spending time with Leland going through old photos, or hearing what stories he could tell about Old Ray, she was being actively pursued by any number of the young men on the reservation. Just about every boy from the ages of sixteen to twenty-five made a point in the next few days to encounter her no matter where she went on the reservation.

Although Seth was disappointed he had not imprinted on her, he was equally pleased that none of the other unmated boys had, either. And because he had met her first, he became her de facto tour guide and best friend, showing her all over the reservation and around La Push. There was little danger of Seth falling hard for Shalayne, what with his desire to imprint, so I didn't worry much about him in that regard. Still, I sincerely hoped that a strong friendship was all that developed between them; more than anyone, I knew what could happen to Shalayne should she fall in love with Seth only to have him break her heart because he had no choice but to walk away.

Also happening over the next few days following the combination wake and wedding party was practice-I took Leland out every morning to the field we'd gone to the day he'd first shifted, and I made him practice phasing from one form to another. The more he worked at it, the more fluid the movement became. He seemed to come by his abilities naturally and was grasping the "lessons" rather quickly. Speaking with Jake and Sam about it one evening, we surmised it was because he had been prepared for something to happen. It might have been hard for his mind to wrap around the concept at first, but once it had happened, it was much easier for him to accept it, and to realize that he had to master himself once more if he was ever going to master the animal inside of him. Both Alphas had commented that it was too bad none of the wolves had known what to expect before their own transitions, because it might have made things ten times easier on everyone.

On July 4th, the Cullens decided to hold an Independence Day cookout. Those of us who knew their true nature could not help thinking such a thing rather odd, but they prepared for the afternoon by hunting and satisfying their needs well in advance. There would, though, be food aplenty for everyone who actually did eat, which would be prepared by Esme and my mother. Both wolf packs were invited, though few were expected to actually attend. The boys in Sam's pack, despite knowing that the Cullens were trustworthy, had never gotten to the point where they were comfortable in their presence, and only spent time around them if they had to. Jared, of course, was now off on his honeymoon with Kim, so he had a better excuse for not being there. Sam had been convinced by Emily that he should go because it was his responsibility to lead by example, and spending time with their allies, despite his discomfort, was a way for him to do that. He had reluctantly agreed, though he refused to force his packmates to go, and thus ended up being the sole representative from his group.

The boys in Jacob's pack were a little more relaxed with the Cullens; since Jake was practically related to them because of his imprinting on Renesmee, he spent the majority of his time with them, and if his boys wanted to see him, they would have to see the vampires too. However, Mikah was spending the evening with Ayana, his young imprint, and her family, and Quil was spending the time with Claire. Henry, also in Jacob's pack, had to work at the village store that night.

In all, there were about ten of us at the vampires' cookout, including Mom, Charlie, and Shalayne. Leland had asked permission to bring Branson should he desire to come along, but he politely declined when asked. Leland wanted to go because he was determined prove he could control himself. The best test of his self control, he said, was to be near Renesmee. Seth was definitely going because he was so close to Jacob and Edward, and Shalayne was going as his guest. Leland wanted to keep an eye on her even though he knew that if she was destined to be a shapeshifter, it would be some time before we knew. So I agreed to attend, and we set out with Shalayne and Seth early that afternoon.

To my immense surprise I rather enjoyed myself, though I also couldn't help watching Shalayne's reaction to the vampires' appearance, or keeping my eyes open for any signs that their nearness was having an effect on her. She hadn't shown any obvious reaction to their pale skin and golden eyes, and an even bigger surprise was that she seemed to be making friends with both Alice and Rosalie. With Alice she shared an insane interest in fashion and shopping, and she had hit it off with Rosalie because of her interest in cars. Like her brother (and Rose, I learned), Shalayne was quite the mechanic, and far be it for her to let any man work on her vehicle. Back in South Dakota Leland's little sister had a 2000 Ford Mustang Saleen, but like him, she had a fondness for the classics, and dreamed of owning an old Thunderbird like his.

Leland and I spent a lot of our time talking with Embry, Cailin, Emily and Sam, and since his wife had abandoned him to chat about cars and clothes with Alice and Shalayne, Emmett had also joined us. Seth was hanging out with Edward, Bella, Jacob and Renesmee, and Mom and Charlie were naturally talking with Carlisle and Esme. Jasper, always the quiet one, hovered near Alice as usual, offering a word here and there. Despite the fact that half the group didn't touch a single bratwurst or cheeseburger, or drink a single can of Coke or Mt. Dew, it turned out to be a really good evening.

That is, until the phone rang.

Esme hurried to answer it, calling for Carlisle when she heard who was on the other end. When she informed him who it was, Carlisle's expression fell, and he told her he would take the call in his study. This caught the notice of nearly everyone, especially Edward, who visibly began listening to a conversation other than the one he was involved in. I found myself unable to stop watching him, and I suspect not even he could have kept himself from the whispered, "Oh my God," he released that sent him running for the stairs. At this point, everyone stopped talking and began watching the stairway, where Edward appeared a few minutes later with Carlisle behind him. I never would have thought it possible, but both men actually looked even paler than normal, so I knew that the news was not going to be good.

Edward walked over to Bella and put his arm around her, his eyes closed in an expression that almost looked like pain. She returned the embrace, looking concerned, and Renesmee, sensing her father's discomfort, took his free hand in hers.

"I have some very disturbing news," Carlisle began slowly. "I've just spoken with a colleague of mine in the Seattle Coroner's office, and we believe that Sierra Bivens' body has just been brought in."

The wolves in attendance looked at one another, one thought on our minds: _Collin_. Collin had been ordered to patrol the reservation with Brady for the evening. It was Sam's attempt to keep the boy occupied-Sierra had been gone a month, and though flyers with her picture had been posted all over the state, although her disappearance had made national news and the investigation wasn't "officially" closed, the police in La Push had stopped actively looking for her. Collin was, to put it mildly, a mess. Sam felt the only way to keep him from going over the bend completely was to give him something to do.

If Sierra was really dead, then there would be no stopping Collin from losing his mind, and chances were he would be nigh uncontrollable-even the Alpha-voice might not work anymore.

Charlie stood and stepped closer to Carlisle. "You sure about that?" he asked.

Carlisle nodded. "I'm afraid so, Chief. He described the face to me-it's her." He looked over at Sam. "I am so sorry to have to tell you this news. I hope you will express my sincere condolences to the family."

"Has the family been notified yet?" Charlie asked.

"No, but her parents were my associate's next call, to come for positive identification."

Charlie sighed, his hands on his hips. He looked over at Mom, saying, "Sue, I'm sorry to leave early, but it might be a good idea for me to go into the station for a while, have an official word or two with the boys in Seattle and La Push."

Mom stood, grabbing her purse. "Of course. I'll come with you so I can get my car-the family's going to need support."

Charlie nodded. He and Mom quickly said their goodbyes and left. Sam stood and reached for Emily's hand. "We should be going as well," he said.

"Wait, Sam," Edward said as Emily was getting to her feet. Sam looked at him sharply, and he and Edward exchanged a brief stare.

"Edward," Carlisle said quietly.

His son looked over. "They deserve to know."

"Are you sure you want to tell them when we don't know for certain?"

"You heard what the coroner's assistant said, Carlisle."

I couldn't keep quiet any longer. I stood, saying, "Will one of you please tell us what the hell is going on?"

For the first time since I had known her, I had to respect Esme for being intuitive. She asked Renesmee and Shalayne if they would mind helping her clean up in the kitchen, and both could hardly refuse. Though Shalayne cast a worried look at Leland, he merely nodded and gestured for her to follow Esme and the little girl. As soon as they were in the other room, Sam said at last, "If this thing you aren't telling us is about Sierra, we have a right to know. She was the bondmate of one of my brothers."

"One of _our_ brothers," Jacob corrected.

Carlisle imitated a sigh. "I did not want to say anything until I knew for certain, which I won't until I have a chance to examine the body for myself. However, from the description of her wounds, it appears that Sierra was killed by a vampire."

I felt the blood drain from my face and I gripped Leland's arm for support. If Collin heard this, there would be no reasoning with him, and he wouldn't care one iota about a treaty made long before he'd been born or the fact that each of the Cullens had an alibi for the night that Sierra had been taken. He would kill, without hesitation or remorse, every single vampire he could get his hands on.

A strained sound emanated from Edward, who was looking pointedly at Carlisle.

"That's not everything, is it?" Jacob asked, looking between them.

Edward shook his head, and with another sigh, Carlisle went on. "Sierra was … torn open."

"Torn open?" cried Sam in a voice that was both low and thunderous.

"In … in a manner suggesting… I'm sorry, I can barely believe it, let alone say it," Carlisle said, his voice strained with emotion.

We all turned to Edward, who finished telling the news with an expression of horror on his face equal to Carlisle's. "In a manner suggesting she was torn open from the inside out. Which can only mean one thing."

"Oh my God," said Rosalie, speaking up for the first time. "She wasn't just killed by a vampire-she was impregnated by one."

* * *

><p>Rosalie's declaration hung in the air for a full thirty seconds before anyone moved-I don't even think any of us who needed air breathed.<p>

Sam's expression was darker than I had ever seen it. "Emily, we're leaving," he said, his voice thick with anger.

Emily wordlessly grabbed her purse and walked with Sam to the door. Carlisle followed.

"Sam."

Sam froze, turning to face him slowly. Carlisle came closer. "Sam, I'm going to go to Seattle and examine Sierra for myself. It is the only way we will know for certain if a vampire was involved. You have my word that Jacob will be the first person I notify if my suspicions are proven, so he can pass the word to you."

Sam nodded mutely, and putting an arm around Emily, ushered her out the door.

When they had gone, Embry looked to Jacob. "What do you want me to do?"

"Take Cailin home and round up the boys. We're going to need everyone on hand once Collin finds out."

"Got it," said Embry, and after he and Cailin had both expressed their thanks for being invited, they too left quickly.

"I'm sorry."

Everyone then turned to Alice, who was curled into a ball, her knees to her chin, in the oversized armchair. If she'd had the ability to shed tears, I had no doubt they would have been streaming down her face.

"What are you sorry for, Alice?" asked Bella.

"I didn't see her," Alice whimpered. "I didn't see this coming. If I could have just seen where she was or… I'm so sorry I couldn't save her."

Jasper reached down and scooped Alice into his arms, sitting in the chair with her in his lap. He was obviously using his gift to try and calm her down, but it didn't look like it was working.

"Alice, nobody blames you," Jacob said. "You can't see everything-you can't see Nessie, remember? If some leech really did get Sierra pregnant, that would explain why you couldn't see her. So it's not your fault at all."

His words, at last, seemed to have some effect, and Alice nodded. Logic took hold, and her nod became more vigorous. "Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. I can't see hybrids, just like I can't see wolves."

"I can't believe this," stormed Carlisle quietly. "How could anyone let that poor girl suffer like that?"

"Sounds like the vamp that did this was just using the girl for an incubator," Emmett put in.

"And what about the baby?" asked Rosalie. "Did it live? Did whoever did this keep the baby or throw it away? Did he even know what he was doing?"

"How would he have even known it was possible?" wondered Bella. "We didn't even know until it happened to us."

"It's possible it wasn't his intention," Leland offered.

"Leland is right," Carlisle said, his tone changing to one of disgust. "There are some of our kind who take humans and treat them as mere playthings, until such time as they are through with them, for one reason or another."

"So Sierra getting pregnant by this bloodsucker could have been a freak accident?" I asked. "And he kept her around why, because he wanted to see how it would turn out?"

"There's something else we're not considering," Bella said slowly. "We thought I would go forty days, right, even though I barely made twenty-eight? Sierra's been gone barely a month-how did she last this long without the baby killing her?"

"We can only assume that her kidnapper knew, or quickly discerned, what kind of nutrition she needed," Edward told her.

Carlisle nodded. "It's certainly possible. While I'm in Seattle, I'll look into recent unexplained deaths in the nearby area."

Leland looked confused at this. "What are you saying, that she would have needed blood?" he asked incredulously.

"Not so much that Sierra would have needed it, but the child would have," said Edward. "The child would be half vampire, after all, and blood is what we require in order to survive."

Carlisle crossed the room to an end table and picked a set of keys out of its drawer, then shook his head and dropped them back in. "I'll get there faster if I run."

Turning to us, he said, "Edward, explain things to Esme for me. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You should know I'm probably gonna have to phase to help with Collin," Jacob said as he was walking toward the sliding glass doors. "I won't be easy to get a hold of."

The vampires' leader turned. "Whom should I call then, when I know?"

I stepped forward. "Call me. You have my number already. I'll find the wolves and let them know."

Carlisle nodded and slipped out the door. Jacob turned to me. "You remember that spot where we had that powwow about Bella and the baby three years ago?"

I nodded. "I remember."

"I'll get Sam to head his boys over there, so me and our guys can meet him. Dr. Fang will get to Seattle within the hour, and I'm sure we'll know in less than two what happened to Sierra. Should still be enough light outside for you to find it on foot, but I'd grab a flashlight just in case."

I nodded, and then Jacob turned and walked into the kitchen, presumably to say goodbye to Renesmee. He was back in one minute and out the sliding glass doors the next, followed by Seth. Before anyone had a chance to say anything else, Esme and the girls came back into the living room.

"Lee, what's going on?" Shalayne asked immediately, taking a look around. "Where is Seth?"

Leland suppressed a sigh. "I'll explain what I can on the way home, okay? We need to go."

Shalayne looked like she might protest, but after a moment she wordlessly complied and grabbed her purse, heading out the door to my car. I grabbed my own handbag and Leland and I, after saying our own goodbyes, followed her.

On the way back to the reservation, Leland and I explained as best we could what had happened. Shalayne was no fool, she'd noticed that Edward seemed to know what Carlisle's phone call had been about before they came and told the rest of us. We tried to excuse that as intuition, because the two were so close to one another. As for the absence of Seth when she returned, we told her that he and Jacob had left to be with their friend Collin, because Sierra was his girlfriend.

We didn't-couldn't-explain about the possibility that a vampire had been involved in her death. Shalayne was still innocent of the knowledge that fictional beings were a part of her reality.

My window was down as we drove. July's first week was turning out to be hot and muggy, even when the sky was full of clouds. Though tonight the sky was clear and twilight was just beginning to descend, the heat index hadn't changed, and my car had only natural air conditioning-that is, rolled down windows.

Had it not been for the fact that the car was open to the air outside, I might have missed it. As it was, I nearly shouted for Leland, who was driving, to stop the car as we started down the main street.

He pulled over to the curb and set the parking brake. "What is it?"

I looked at him even as I was reaching for the door handle on my side. "The enemy is here," I whispered in a tone low enough that Shalayne would miss my words, but that he would still hear. I barely caught the widening of his eyes as I hurried out of the car, taking a deep breath and looking around.

The smell of vampire was definitely in the air.

Leland got out of the car and joined me on the sidewalk. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly. "My nose isn't burning like it does when I'm near them."

"Take a good, long sniff and tell me what you smell," I replied.

He did as I said, and began looking around as I was doing. "I do smell it now, that deathly smell they give off to me, but it's not strong."

"I don't think whoever it was is here anymore, the scent is a bit weak. But there was definitely a leech on the reservation, and that is not good news. Only the Cullens and their cousins in Alaska truly respect the boundaries of our lands, which means it was someone else," I went on.

"Guys, what the heck are you doing out there?"

Leland and I both turned to glance at Shalayne, who had stuck her head out the rear window. "Nothing," her brother replied, then looked at me. "Better get her home to Branson so we can go meet the packs."

"We?" I said, one eyebrow raised.

"You don't think I'm letting you go alone, do you?" Leland asked as he rounded the front end of the car.

I gave him a look over the top of the car. "They're my brothers, Lee. I'm not going to be in any danger."

"You told me yourself that if something happened to Sierra, Collin would be a loose cannon," he said, pulling open the driver's side door. "I know there will be seventeen others there trying to keep him under control and it isn't that I don't trust them. But my instincts are screaming at me to protect you, even if you are perfectly safe in the middle of a pack of wolves."

I looked at him for just a moment longer, then nodded wordlessly and got in the car. I could hardly deny the raven inside of him the right to keep his mate safe from harm.

We took Shalayne back to Whistler Cottage, and though she kept demanding answers to her questions, we left her in the care of Branson and hurried out. The Lakota man had taken one look at our expressions and complied readily with Leland's request that he keep Shalayne in the house.

There was still light as we started into the woods, but less and less of it as we walked, so Leland I soon turned on the flashlights Jacob had recommended we bring. And of course it was taking longer to get where we had to go, as we were on two feet instead of four, or in the air as Leland could be. For the second time in three weeks I considered going wolf, the urgency of reaching the two packs to be ready for Carlisle's call and relaying the information that a vampire had been on the reservation having set my nerves to buzzing.

It was fully dark by the time we reached the meeting spot, though thankfully only about an hour had passed since that terrible moment at the Cullen house. I stood in front of Leland as we approached the opening in the trees, not sure how the other wolves would respond to his presence. I felt him freeze behind me as we entered the small clearing, his eyes falling for the first time on one of the guys in wolf form-

-and here there were eighteen of the monstrously-sized beasts.

The quarters were closer than the last time I'd been to this particular place; the last time there'd been half as many wolves, and thus more space in which to move. In order to keep things on a comfortable level, or so I assumed, they were seated in a circle on their haunches. Well, all but three. Jacob, Sam, and Collin were all on their feet, Collin standing between the two Alphas-a strategic move on their part, no doubt, as they were the largest wolves of either pack, and should Collin begin to act out, they might have a better chance of wrestling him under control. It was probably also the reason they had remained in wolf form, because we all knew that hearing the news about Sierra would make Collin shift anyway.

As soon as Leland and I appeared, every head turned in our direction. A couple of the wolves in Sam's pack made questioning barks, but he must have silenced them through the mental link. I hoped he was telling them that Leland's presence was welcome, for certainly they all knew he was a shapeshifter, and that he had a right to be there as my mate and protector.

I stepped forward just inside the circle, between Embry and Quil, Leland staying close behind me. "I haven't heard from Dr. Cullen as yet," I said, addressing Jacob and Sam, "but I do have other news. Bad news."

Jacob barked once and lifted his head, which I took to be a direction to continue. I glanced around the circle as I told them, "I don't know how long ago-has to have been a while given the weakness of the scent trail-but there was a vampire on the reservation tonight."

This set them all to howling. They knew as well as I that the Cullens and their Alaskan "cousins" were respectful of the reservation boundary, so only someone outside that family circle would dare cross through an area saturated with the scent of the wolf packs. It could be reasonably assumed that any one of the friends and allies of the Cullen and Denali clans that had stood with us against the Volturi would've had the decency to respect the boundary. But since only the Cullens and the Alaskan vampires they considered family were "vegetarians," none of us could count on that.

Quickly, Sam and Jacob quieted their packs. Collin remained clearly agitated, growling low and scratching the ground with an oversized paw. It made me wonder if Sam had even told him yet that Sierra was dead. He, Jacob, Embry and Seth had heard the news at the same time, but Sam's were the only thoughts he would be able to hear, and unless Sam were disciplined enough to keep from thinking about what he had heard (which was a technique he was trying to teach himself, I knew), Collin would have known the moment Sam phased into his wolf form. I couldn't think of a reason for Sam to hold off telling him, unless he had told him she _might_ be dead, and we were waiting on a call from Dr. Cullen to confirm it.

Still, I felt it best to say aloud, "I'm certain it wasn't one of the Cullens, because except for Dr. Cullen, they were all at the house when Lee and I left. And none of them would go through the reservation without asking permission first, you all know that."

Jacob, Sam, and all of Jacob's pack nodded their heads, and though they seemed reluctant to agree, so did some of Sam's boys. They all looked around at one another, obviously sharing their thoughts and wondering who would have the nerve to enter their territory. It was probably the first time I had ever missed the telepathic link, because I was insanely curious about what they were all thinking.

But I did have a thought of my own, which I shared with everyone. Addressing Jacob and Sam again, I said, "Do you think it might be a good idea to send someone to investigate? See where the trail leads?"

The Alphas looked at one another, then over in my direction, and for a brief moment I wondered if they were suggesting I should take on that job. But of course they weren't-for one thing, Dr. Cullen hadn't called yet, and in order for me to relay his findings I had to stay here. For another, they knew how much it meant to me to be wolf-free, to be normal again, and even though I knew they would like to have me back, I also knew that both Jacob and Sam respected my decision to give it up.

To my right, Henry and Brady peeled off from the circle and disappeared into the woods. Though Leland and I had detected the scent trail in the village more than an hour ago, I had no doubt that if any of the vampire's scent remained, they would pick it up.

After the two had gone, it was quiet in that tiny glen, save for the heavy breathing of the wolves and the sounds of nocturnal insects going about their lives. It was no wonder, then, that I started at the sound of my cell phone when it rang about ten minutes later. Every wolf stood to his feet as I pulled it from my pocket, the caller I.D. showing me Dr. Cullen's cell number.

I flipped the phone open. "Yes, Dr. Cullen?" I asked, turning away from the wolves so I could listen to everything he had to say.

"I'm afraid all our suspicions are confirmed," the vampire said, genuine regret in his voice. "The victim is Sierra. Her body was found in a Dumpster, and there is the scent of vampire all over her. It's not one I recognize. And though I have managed to convince the medical examiner on duty that the wounds are the result of mutilation rather than something tearing out of her, she was definitely pregnant with a hybrid child who was born by doing just that. It wasn't hard to convince him, though, that there was violent abuse, as she also has several broken bones, including her spine, which happened to Bella when she was pregnant with Renesmee. I also believe the birth occurred within the last two to six hours, as the blood is still fairly fresh and rigor mortis has just begun to set in. I cannot express to you in words how very sorry I am."

I wanted to fall into Leland's arms, to let his strength hold me up, because my legs felt weak enough to give way. All the blood drained from my face and I felt my body go cold. It was a good thing I had turned away from the wolves, for surely they would know what I had heard simply by looking at my face. Collin would be devastated, as would Sierra's family.

"If the wolves need any help we can provide, I am certain my family will provide it," Dr. Cullen went on. "You have my word we will help you find the person who did this."

I felt tears behind my eyes, and my throat closed up. "Thank you, Dr. Cullen," I managed to say, barely able to get the words out. "I'll let them know."

I closed the phone then and put it in my pocket, then looked up at Leland. His eyes widened a fraction, but though he made no other change of expression, I knew that he had read in my eyes the answer to the question on everyone's mind. I took a deep breath to steady myself, then turned to face the packs…

…to face Collin.

"Dr. Cullen confirms that Sierra is dead," I told them.

That was all I had to say. Collin Littlesea howled, long and loud, his wolfish voice conveying a great magnitude of pain and anguish. The other wolves surrounded him, though they gave him a wide berth. This turned out to be a wise move; his howling had changed to a growl, and I could tell even from where I stood that he was suddenly consumed with what was surely an inconsolable rage, and that all he wanted to do was fight. He wanted to hunt down the thing that had taken his beloved from him, and he would not stop until the person responsible had been killed.

One of the wolves, Johnny, I think, took a step toward him. Johnny was one of Collin's best friends, and surely he just wanted to console him. But Collin snapped and snarled at him, and Johnny shrank back. Next Sam stepped forward, and I had the feeling that Sam was using the Alpha-voice to try and calm Collin down. But Collin was apparently having none of that-he lashed out at Sam and the two began to fight. Leland immediately grabbed me by the arms and threw me behind him, pushing me back into the woods.

"I can't leave them!" I cried.

"That kid will kill you if you stay!" Leland returned sharply.

In those few seconds, Jacob had joined the fight, and he and Sam double-teamed the raging brown wolf. Though he still held me back, Leland and I remained just outside the edge of the clearing, watching as Jacob and Sam fought with Collin, lunging, withdrawing, biting and swiping, until at last Collin was knocked down on his side. Jake closed his teeth around the younger wolf's throat, holding him there as Sam stood staring down at him, apparently issuing a command to calm down, or at least control himself. The boy's anger was understandable, though. The girl he loved had been murdered-his soul mate was dead. It had to be tearing him apart, and no doubt had planted a seed of fear into the minds of the other wolves. We'd heard what could possibly happen to an imprinted wolf who lost his mate, what _had_ happened to one who had many years ago. But none of us had ever imagined it would happen to one of us, and now we were seeing it firsthand. It's something I hoped to God I would never see again.


	16. Chapter 15

**15. Strategema**

Tense silence permeated the air around me, and for several minutes, the only sounds I registered were the heavy breathing of the wolves and the hammering of my own heart.

It was a long time before Jacob released Collin, and even when he did-whether because Sam had ordered him to or because he was already spent, physically and emotionally-Collin remained on the ground, his eyes closed and a low whine issuing from his throat.

The wolves returned to their previous formation, except for Sam and Jacob, who remained standing over Collin. They turned their heads in my direction, and I waited for Leland to move, knowing that he was not about to let me re-enter the circle of wolves unless he felt I would be safe among them. The Alphas studied Leland as he was studying them, and perhaps it was his unmoving expression, or the defiance in his stance, that had them lifting their heads. Quil, Embry, Johnny and Drake left their places and stood around Collin as Jacob and Sam turned and trotted into the woods. They emerged a few minutes later as men wearing the usual shorts-and-no-shirt getup.

Stopping in the middle of the circle, between us and the four wolves who surrounded their brother, Jake and Sam looked to us, the latter saying, "You do not have to be concerned for Leah's safety, cousin. No harm will come to her from one of us."

"You'll forgive me if I don't quite believe you, given the display we just saw," Leland replied. Nevertheless, he slowly led me back into the clearing, pointedly keeping several feet between us and the distraught wolf on the ground.

The two Alphas came nearer, until we were practically to-to-toe with them. I was glad they had, because I wanted to relay the rest of the news to them and them alone, leaving it to them to decide just how much of the truth Collin needed to hear. I kept my voice low, trying to keep the wolves nearest us from picking up our conversation with their sharpened hearing.

"Everything we suspected is true, Sam," I said. "He said they found her in a Dumpster. He also said that the smell of a vampire was all over her, but he didn't recognize it. And she _was_ pregnant."

Sam groaned, looking away, and Jacob's expression clouded. "Then that's how she died? When the baby…?"

I nodded. "Same thing that could have happened to Bella had the Cullens not been more prepared, and less than six hours ago according to Dr. Cullen. Sam," I said, and waited until he returned his gaze to mine. "How much of this are we going to tell the others? We might be able to get away with telling them that it was a vampire, but given what just happened, I don't know if Collin is capable of handling the fact that Sierra died because she was carrying the bloodsucker's child."

"I think we should also take the child into consideration," Leland said. "He or she is blameless, and shouldn't be left to the care and upbringing of a monster that would let a young girl suffer like its mother did."

Jake and Sam exchanged a look. "What do you think, Sam?" the younger man said.

"As much as it pains me, and as considerably unstable as Collin is, I cannot and will not keep the truth from him. He deserves to know everything that happened to Sierra," Sam said at last.

"What about her baby?" I asked. "It's still _her_ baby, Sam. A part of Sierra."

"What do you want me to do, find the child and give it to her parents to raise?" he retorted angrily. "Don't you think its growth rate might draw more than a little unwanted attention? Not to mention the fact that she wasn't pregnant when she was taken."

Leland stepped between Sam and me. "I get that you're upset, Sam, and very frustrated. We all are. But I think you might want to check that tone when speaking to Leah."

The cousins stared hard at one another, and because I didn't want another fight to break out, I moved and wedged myself between my old love and my new one. "Enough," I said sternly. "We are here because Collin needs us, remember? Because an innocent girl was murdered and because an innocent child needs to be rescued."

I pushed Leland back a step or two, then turned back to Sam and Jacob. "You're right, Sam-Collin deserves to know everything. But Leland is also right. We can't just ignore the fact that Sierra had a child, one that should be saved from the life it will surely lead if left in the care of the monster that sired it. And of course we can't give the baby to her parents, so I say we find it first, then decide what to do with it."

I drew a breath. "To that extent," I continued, "Carlisle has pledged his help, and he said he was certain the rest of them would help us track down the leech that took Sierra."

"They will," Jacob confirmed. "Having lived with them for the last year, I know them a whole lot better now. Even if there wasn't a baby involved, they would help just because she was one of us. Carlisle thinks of both packs as family, Sam."

Sam looked between the three of us, his gaze lingering for a moment on Leland, and then he nodded. "Of course we should find the child," he said. "Once we do, then we can figure out what to do next."

He took a deep, ragged breath. "First, I have to tell Collin how Sierra died."

Sam turned around and walked back toward where Collin still lay on the ground. "There's something else I need to tell you, brother," he said. "And though your rage is justifiable, I need you to remain in control of yourself. You'll bring no justice to Sierra's killer if you can't, and will only cause yourself more pain."

Collin whined, his wolfish eyes wary and forlorn as he lifted his head to look at Sam.

Sam looked around the circle of wolves. "Sierra Bivens, our sister, was kidnapped and killed by an unknown vampire." The wolves howled at this information, and Sam gave them a moment to vent before he raised his hand for silence and continued, looking at Collin as he relayed the last of it.

"The bloodsucker who took her did more than kill her, brother," he addressed the younger shape-shifter. "He defiled her virtue and conceived a child with her, and apparently did nothing but watch as that child tore itself out of her body, which he disposed of in a Dumpster somewhere in Seattle."

The wolves howled and snarled their protest, but my gaze was on Collin. Collin's eyes widened and then narrowed, his whine becoming a menacing growl as he slowly got to his feet. His head hung low and his hackles were raised, his lips pulling back as he added intermittent snarls to his growling. Though I certainly couldn't hear his thoughts, it wasn't very difficult to guess where they were leading: Death. Destruction.

_Vengeance_.

* * *

><p>Following his announcement, Sam asked that all the wolves change back to their human forms out of respect for those of us (Leland and I, obviously) who could not hear their thoughts, so that we could all be equal participants in the meeting. After much discussion, it was decided that the Alphas and their lieutenants would meet with the Cullens the next day to try and work out some sort of strategy for hunting down Sierra's killer. As it was a vampire that had taken her, we suspected that he or perhaps an associate of his was responsible for the scent trail Leland and I had detected. The thing was, no one could think of a reason why the vampire who'd been to the reservation would have even come there-Sierra's family didn't live on the rez, so certainly the bloodsucker couldn't have been looking for them, and even if he were, why? What purpose could he have for wanting to track them down? And if he weren't looking for some connection to Sierra, what <em>was<em> he looking for?

Collin had wanted to start the search right away, and it was some time again before Sam was able to reason with him, saying that it would be best for everyone to go home, eat well, and get some sleep so that their minds and bodies would be fresh to begin the search anew in the morning. I developed a new appreciation for the burdens that Sam and Jacob bore as leaders, realizing just how hard it was for them to have to take the interests of so many lives into consideration when making a decision. Keeping an eye on Collin had been stressful enough on Sam when Sierra was just missing-keeping the boy under control now that we knew what had happened would be far more difficult. Sam would have to issue commands in the Alpha-voice to get him to listen, and would likely have someone watching him around the clock so that he wouldn't be tempted to take off on his own.

I was also of the feeling that all the boys who had imprinted would be keeping a closer watch on their bondmates, in case this was just the start of some kind of attack on the two packs. That was another idea Jacob and Sam especially wanted to visit with the Cullens: the possibility that Sierra's death was just the first blood drawn in a strategic battle plan meant to weaken the wolves from within. The only persons we could think of that might be responsible for such a dangerous offensive were the Volturi. After all, they knew they weren't going to be able to control us, and we knew we had been seen as powerful allies to the Cullens and their friends. Targeting the peaceful coven's allies could also be just a preemptive strike against _them_-an attempt to topple their support system. The gathering two and a half years ago had, in essence, embarrassed the governing vampire clan, and as Bella had said, they were just looking for an excuse to come after us. Our fear now was that they were tired of waiting for an excuse, and had simply decided to act.

Leland and I were silent for some time on the hike back to his place. I was going over every moment of the pack meeting in my head, especially the part where Leland had all but thrown down the gauntlet to Sam. When we'd parted Sam had embraced me, but his hold was brief, and to Leland he only nodded, saying, "Goodnight." Part of me thought it had been a really bad idea, confronting Sam like that, especially in front of the wolves. On the other hand, it might have been a good thing. Although Leland was a shape-shifter, he was a different kind than they were, and his willingness to stand up to Sam might raise their opinion of him, or at the least their acceptance of him as part of the family. My stepping in between them had given Sam a way to back down without losing face with his subordinates, though I don't think he would have seen it that way.

I also had no doubt that some of the wolves had actually had a juvenile desire to see them fight. In a way the fight would have been over me, and they'd be curious to know who would win: my ex-boyfriend or my new boyfriend? As long as they were human, Sam's bulk was a fairly even match for Leland's height and reach. As animals, however… I couldn't help but think that Leland would lose that match. He had never had cause to do battle as a raven, and Sam was a veteran fighter as a wolf. It frightened me to think how easily Sam might well be able to defeat Leland, how easily he could hurt him…

…or even kill him.

I shuddered at that thought, and Leland noticed. "Are you cold?" he asked me.

I shook my head. "No."

He held his flashlight higher so that he could see my face, and I turned it away from him so that he couldn't. "Something's bothering you, then, isn't it?"

I shrugged. "Yes… no. I don't know. I just… I can't help wondering about you confronting Sam like you did. I don't know if it was a good idea, I don't know if it wasn't."

"I thought he was being blatantly disrespectful toward you, Leah," Leland said sharply. "He had no right to speak to you that way when you were only trying to help. So I thought it best to remind him of his place."

"His place? His place is the leader of his pack, Leland. He has to consider what's best for them before he makes a decision. So does Jake. And even though I'm retired, those decisions still include me."

"But he's not your pack leader-Jacob is, and I've never seen Jacob disrespect you like that," Leland countered. "Sam's also not your protector anymore, I am. It's a part of my job to ensure you get treated with the dignity and respect you deserve."

I heaved a sigh of frustration. "Lee, you can't be confrontational every time someone snaps at me. It's not rational. You gotta remember that emotions were running pretty hot back there. Sam would never intentionally disrespect me, he was just frustrated."

"You're defending him awfully hard, aren't you?"

I stopped and turned to him, and he stopped up short. "Because Sam isn't here to defend himself. And while I appreciate your desire to protect me, in this case it really wasn't necessary."

"Fine. I'll concede that it wasn't necessary-this time. But don't expect me to hold my tongue or my shape the next time he talks to you like that, or if any of them do. When he yelled at you I was just itching for a fight, and would have happily given it to him had he changed form again."

I felt my eyes widen. "Good grief, Leland! There was nothing to fight over. Sam snapped at me one time in the heat of the moment-it was no big deal!" I exclaimed.

"Well it was a big deal to me," Leland said, then started off again.

For a moment I could only watch him walk away in stunned disbelief. Then I began to follow, my thoughts in even more turmoil than they had been just minutes ago. This was a side of Leland I had never seen before, but then I supposed there'd never been a reason. I still didn't see one now, and had to once again remind myself of the extenuating circumstances. Leland had been phasing less than a week, and even though he was a quick learner as to the physical aspect of being a shapeshifter-the changing between forms-he still had a long way to go in mastering his emotions.

I also realized we'd just had our first fight, and that really stung. I felt tears prick my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

We'd been in the woods a long time, so it was very late when we got back to his house. Branson had left the porch light on for us, but there were no lights on inside, a telling sign that both he and Shalayne had gone to bed. I handed Leland my flashlight and turned to go once he had opened the door.

"You're not staying?" he asked. Even though Shalayne and Branson had been staying with him since their arrival, I'd still slept here the last few nights, despite the fact that he wouldn't be alone if I didn't.

I turned only halfway back, lest looking at him bring back the tears. Shaking my head, I said, "No. It's late, Leland, and I just want to go home."

I sensed he was about to protest, but something in my tone or my posture must have made him change his mind. "Well, at least let me drive you. You can come back for your car tomorrow.

I shook my head again. "No, thank you. I think I'd rather be alone right now so I can clear my head. Goodnight." I stepped off the porch and started down to my vehicle.

"Leah," Leland called after me.

I didn't turn around again. I just got in my car and left.

* * *

><p>The next morning found Seth shaking me awake.<p>

"What?" I mumbled in sleepy annoyance, pulling my pillow over my head. I was _so_ not ready to get up and face this day.

"Sis, you might want to come out to the porch," Seth told me.

I lifted my head slowly to look at him through a tousled curtain of my hair, brushing it aside as the strange look on his face registered on my sleep-fogged brain.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Seth glanced over his shoulder, then back at me. "Just … come see for yourself."

Groaning, I raised myself up on my elbows, then threw back the light cotton sheet I'd covered myself with and swung myself upright. I ran my hands through my hair to tame my bed-head and stood, straightened the tank top and shorts I'd put on to sleep in, and followed my brother through the house. The front door was standing open and our mother was looking out through the screen door.

"What's going on?" I asked again as I walked up behind her.

Mom turned and looked at me, then wordlessly moved aside so that I could indeed see for myself. My jaw dropped open when I looked out and saw Leland.

But he wasn't standing out on the porch waiting to see me … he was asleep on it, sitting in one of the two chairs with his feet propped up on the other, a blanket haphazardly wrapped around his torso. I wasn't sure whether to laugh at the absurdity or cry at the sweetness.

"What the hell was he thinking?" I mused aloud.

Mom stepped up to me, a steaming cup of coffee in her hand. "Why don't you find out?" she suggested, handing me the cup.

Obviously, the coffee was for Leland, as Mom knew full well I didn't drink it. I took the cup from her and pushed the screen door open, walking out to stand at Leland's shoulder. I put my hand down on it and nudged him. "Lee? Lee, wake up."

His eyes fluttered open and he looked up. I held out the coffee, which he took and drew a sip from, his eyes on me all the while.

"Leland, what are you doing here? Why aren't you asleep in your own bed?"

"I couldn't sleep in our bed," he told me, startling me with the use of the words 'our bed.' "Not without you in it."

Leland pulled his legs from the other chair and I moved to sit down. "Plus I felt like total crap after you left last night. The way you left made me realize we'd had our first fight."

I lowered my eyes to my hands. "Yeah, I know."

"Baby, I'm sorry. I realize now that it was the phasing affecting my temper, and I wasn't any more respectful than I accused Sam of being," Leland went on.

"I realized that too, that it's not entirely your fault, but it didn't stop it from hurting that we'd argued," I said.

His face fell. "I'm sorry, Leah," he said again.

"I'm sorry too, Leland. I probably could have handled myself better than I did."

He looked at me a moment longer, then took another sip of the coffee. "Where does this leave us?"

I chanced a smile. "Back on track," I said. "We've admitted we were wrong and we've apologized to each other. It's over."

Leland raised an eyebrow. "Just like that?"

I chuckled. "Do you want to dwell on it?" I queried, though I was sure I knew the answer to that.

He laughed, replying with a resounding, "Heck no!"

Leland took another drink and sat back, visibly relaxed. I was more relaxed too, though I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees. "Lee, you realize that I'm not going to be able to stay at your house every night, right?"

The look on his face was one of disappointment, but he nodded. "I know it wouldn't be appropriate, given that we're not married yet. Living together before we are would totally ruin my reputation."

I reached over and smacked his knee, and he laughed. The sound of it brought me much needed relief, and it was only at that moment, when he'd cracked a smile and laughed, that I realized I hadn't been totally relaxed after all. But his trying to be funny let me know that he was okay again, which made me okay.

"Did all your friends go through this kind of thing?" Leland asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think so, exactly," I replied. "Only a couple of the boys had imprinted before I became a wolf-I think just Sam and Jared. Maybe Paul, too, but I don't remember right now. Emily was really mad at Sam for a while because he'd hurt me, but it's believed that quite possibly no one can resist the utter devotion a wolf directs toward his mate. Kim, we found out, had been crushing on Jared for ages, but he never really noticed her until the imprinting. Afterward, he couldn't ever remember why he'd never noticed her before. You know how both of those cases turned out."

I sat back. "With the others… I didn't pay a lot of attention, to be honest. I didn't want to know, didn't want to hear all about their happiness because I was still so miserable. When I first imprinted on you, though, I did ask Jacob what it was going to be like for me, asked him what I could expect."

"He give you any good advice? 'Cause I could sure use some-I hate that I hurt you."

I felt a tug at my heart when he said that, and so I smiled a little, waiting until he returned the gesture before I answered. "Imprinting seems to amplify emotions. Jake said that I could expect to ride an emotional roller coaster, at least until I learned to control myself again. Wanting to be near you all the time, wanting to keep you safe and happy-they never go away, but the intensity of the feelings will get easier to handle as time goes on."

"I sure hope so," Leland said, sitting up straight. "I've never felt like this before, and it's kind of scary."

"I know it is," I told him, sitting forward again and taking his free hand in mine. "And it's probably even harder on you because so much has happened to you in the last two months-you lost your parents, became a virtual parent to your sister, and then lost your only grandparent. On top of all that, you found out your life is being governed by forces beyond your control, and you've become a being straight out of a mythology book. A lesser man would probably have crumbled under the pressure, but Lee, you've been so amazing at how you've handled everything. I really am very proud of you."

Leland beamed at me. "Guess I'm a lot stronger than I give myself credit for," he said slowly.

"Absolutely."

"Kids?"

Leland looked up and I looked over my shoulder as my mother poked her head out the screen door. "Everything all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, Mom. We're good," I told her with a smile.

"Glad to hear it. Feel like some breakfast now?"

I looked at Leland. "Staying for breakfast?"

He smiled. "Yeah. I'm starving."

Mom and I cooked a large breakfast for the four of us, and the two boys, of course, ate heartily. During the meal, Shalayne called looking for Leland, and he spoke to her quietly, explaining that everything was alright and he would be home after he'd finished breakfast.

Mom had a shift at the hospital that she wished she could have skipped-Mr. and Mrs. Bivens had been destroyed by the news about Sierra, and though Mrs. Wakefield knew it was in no way her fault, she was feeling terrible guilt about having convinced the Bivenses to make the move, only to lose their only daughter six months later. My mother wanted nothing more than to be able to comfort her friends, and for the first time in a long time, she hated that she had to go to work that day.

I washed the breakfast dishes as Mom got ready and then left for work. Leland had left to shower and change at home, promising he would be back when he was "more presentable." Seth paced the living room as I worked in the kitchen, waiting for the phone to ring. He wasn't Jacob's Second, but he was close to both Jake and Edward, and was hoping that he would be invited to take part in the meeting Jake and Sam had planned to have with the Cullens that day. If I were totally honest with myself, I was hoping to be invited as well. A small part of me felt guilty, like I was abandoning my brothers, because I wouldn't be joining them in the hunt as a wolf. Last night I had felt the urge to phase stronger than I ever had before, and I felt a little ashamed of my selfishness at not wanting to give up everything I had worked so hard for the last four months. After all, if I'd been able to stop once surely I could do it again, so breaking my streak long enough to hunt down Sierra's killer was a small price to pay to insure that he got what was coming to him.

It was, I knew, but still I'd hesitated. Not only was I selfish, but I was a coward to boot, and I admonished myself harshly as I washed all the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. Did I really even deserve to be a part of the operation, when I couldn't bring myself to be a full participant?

The ringing of the phone startled me out of my dark reverie, and I jumped. Seth all but dived for it, snatching it off the cradle and holding it to his ear. "Hello?"

I watched as he listened intently to the person on the other end, my curiosity piquing when I heard him say, "Yeah, she's right here." I quickly finished my task and headed into the living room, just as Seth was hanging up the phone.

"That was Jake. He wants you to be there when he and Sam talk to the Cullens," Seth told me.

"He does? What about Embry?" I asked.

"Embry and Paul will be there, too, but Jake says you're still Beta."

A flush of selfish pride ran through me to hear that Jacob still considered me a part of the team. It meant he thought I could still contribute even though I wasn't going wolf anymore. I tried not to smile, though, as I could see disappointment in Seth's expression-he, apparently, had not been included in the invitation.

Well, perhaps Jake hadn't invited him, but I still could.

"Give me about twenty minutes, little brother, to get a shower and change, then we'll get going," I said, heading for the hallway.

"We?" my brother queried, hope lacing his voice.

"Yes, 'we,'" I said over my shoulder.

"You're a girl, Leah. Are you sure you can shower and get dressed in just twenty minutes?"

At this I turned around, a wicked grin on my face. "Nineteen now, buddy-and just you watch me."

* * *

><p>When my car arrived at the Cullen house later that morning, I was pulling in just as Sam, Paul, and Embry were emerging from the woods. Sam, at least, didn't seem altogether surprised to see that Seth was with me, but he stopped walking when he saw Leland emerging from the car as well. My bondmate had returned to our house just as Seth and I were getting ready to leave, and I hadn't had the heart to send him away.<p>

"What is he doing here?" Paul asked testily.

Ignoring Paul's remark, Leland surprised me by purposely walking up to Sam. "I want to apologize for my behavior last night," he said before Sam could speak. "I was out of line."

Sam regarded Leland for a moment, then nodded. "As was I. You were standing up for your bondmate, and I was just angry." At that he looked at me. "I'm sorry, Leah, for speaking to you in such a harsh manner."

I waved his words away. "Don't worry about it. I think we were all pretty hyped up after hearing what happened to Sierra. I'm just glad that the only incident of note was you and Jake having to wrestle with Collin-how is he doing, by the way?"

Sam's expression was grim. "Not easy to control, even with the Alpha-voice. But I managed to convince him that his time this morning would be better spent with Sierra's family."

"He wanted to be here," Paul put in. "I also called Jared this morning to give him the news, and he wanted to come home, but Kim talked him into staying on their honeymoon."

"Kim's a smart girl," I said. "I might not have known her, but I doubt Sierra would have wanted her death to ruin their honeymoon, and Kim knows that, too. Enough lives have been devastated as it is."

Sam nodded his agreement, and so we all turned and headed up to the Cullens' porch. Edward opened the door before we had all stepped up, wordlessly holding it open for the six of us to move past him. The entire family, with the exception of Renesmee, was in the living room waiting as we entered.

"Where's Nessie?" Seth asked.

"Spending the morning with her grandpa," Bella answered. "She didn't need to be here for this."

"Oh, no. Of course not," my brother agreed.

"Why don't you all have a seat, please?" Carlisle said.

After everyone had been seated, and politely offered refreshments by Esme (ever the proper hostess), we got down to business. Leland and I were asked by Jacob to recount our detection of the vampire smell on the reservation, to which each of Jake's future in-laws expressed their surprise. Sam then reported that Henry and Brady had followed the trail from the village to the beach; the vampire had wandered to several of the businesses and homes, seemingly at random, and the trail had ended at the water. At this news, Carlisle produced a plastic bag with a piece of cloth in it.

"I knew that bringing a piece of Sierra's clothing would be a good idea, but I didn't know why," he said simply.

The white square was thankfully free of blood, and was handed over to me, as Leland and I were the only ones present who had smelled the scent in the reservation village. I held it close to my nose and sniffed, then held it out to Leland so he could do the same.

"The scent on the cloth has faded," I said, "though it's a little stronger than what I smelled last night. But I do think it's the same one. Lee?"

He inhaled again then handed the cloth back to Carlisle, who passed it around to everyone else so that they could commit the smell to memory. "Yeah, I think it's the same one, too," Leland said.

"I can't believe that freak had the nerve to come down to the reservation!" Embry declared.

"What could he have been looking for?" Esme wondered.

"That's what we would like to know," Sam said darkly. "Sierra's family did not live on the reservation proper, and even if they did, we cannot think of a reason this leech would go looking for them."

"Which means if he wasn't looking for her family, he was looking for something else," Rosalie suggested.

Jacob nodded. "That's what we think. But again, we have no idea what it could be."

"Maybe he wasn't looking for a thing, but a person," said Jasper quietly.

We all looked at him. "He's right," said Carlisle. "It makes a lot more sense that he would be looking for a person and not a thing."

The unspoken question on our minds was "But whom?"

"The wolves," Seth said, breaking the moment of silence. He looked around at his audience, who waited for him to continue. "Think about it: the leech took a wolf's mate, right? Maybe he's after the wolves, and he was looking for us. Or one of us, at least."

"Seth's idea is a good one," said Jacob.

"We're still left with not knowing who or why," put in Emmett. "And was it his plan to go after you guys all along, or is this some new plan? Something he learned from Sierra maybe?"

"What, like maybe he didn't know about the wolves before, but he does now, because of her?" Embry asked.

"We also thought of one other possibility," said Jacob, going on to explain the theory that the Volturi were behind Sierra's death, and that it was possibly the first step in an assault against them, in retaliation for the embarrassment they had suffered.

"Why would the Volturi go after you guys if coming after us is the end goal?" Alice piped up for the first time.

"Think about it, love," said Jasper. "If this is true, it's a near-brilliant military strategy."

All heads turned to him again, and I recalled being told that he was the second oldest of the Cullens next to Carlisle, having been born sometime in the mid-1800's. He had served in the Confederate Army before being turned into a vampire and had fought in and survived the Southern Vampire Wars; thus, Jasper was considered the best fighter in the family (he had also been considered the biggest threat when Sam had wanted to attack them three years ago). He was supposedly second to Edward in speed and Emmett in strength, but from what I'd heard and seen myself, his tactical acumen was unsurpassed. His mind still worked like the Army Major he had been, and so it stood to reason he would be one of the first to understand the military aspect of a plan.

"If the Volturi truly see our family as a threat to their rule, or simply wish to seek revenge for our part in their embarrassment before so many witnesses," Jasper went on, "a direct approach won't do at all-you would see it coming. So they strike at our allies in an attempt to weaken our support structure. By weakening our friends and supporters, they weaken us."

"You're saying that if they take our friends out first, it makes it easier to take us out?" Alice asked.

"They're using the ripple effect," Leland said, looking at me. "It's like what you explained to me about why Sierra's disappearance was bad for Collin and Sam's pack. What affects him affects the rest of his pack, so what affects the Cullens' friends and allies will eventually affect them. If there are fewer people helping them, then there's a greater chance they can be defeated."

Jasper nodded. "Precisely. And if they are striking at the wolves first, you're not going to see it no matter how much you read their future, Alice. It's really the smartest tactic for circumventing your gift."

"That … that really ticks me off!" the tiny little vampire cried angrily.

"Unfortunately, doing so gives them an advantage, in that they are unaware that you cannot see the future when the wolves are involved," her husband concluded.

"Jacob and I are in agreement with Jasper," Sam said. "We considered the possibility last night, which is why we wanted to include you in our plans to hunt for Sierra's killer. If this is part of a larger scheme against you, you've as much right to investigate as we do."

Carlisle looked from Sam to Jacob, who nodded solemnly. The vampire patriarch then looked at each member of his family before returning his gaze to the two pack leaders. "If our assumptions prove correct, we will deal with it then. But whether or not it becomes about us, right now it's about you, and the sister who was taken from you. I want to focus on finding out who killed her."


	17. Chapter 16

**16. Anything for a Brother**

Jacob and Sam exchanged a look. At first it seemed only an acknowledgment of what Carlisle had just said-whether or not the situation proved to be about them in the end, right now it was about us. It was about Sierra, our sister.

Then their expressions changed. It was as if they were communicating their thoughts without having to say the words, like they did when they were wolves. They both nodded minutely and then Jake turned to me.

"Leah, would you like to tell them the rest of it?"

Clearly, this turn was a surprise to me. "I don't know what you mean," I said.

"What else did we decide last night?" prompted Sam. "You and Leland were … staunch advocates for it."

I looked at Leland, who colored mildly, then at Sam, who wore a bemused smile. I had to laugh.

Quickly, though, I sobered and looked up at my audience. "Our mission isn't only to bring justice to Sierra's killer," I began. "We also want to rescue her child from him."

The Cullens looked at one another. Rosalie, especially, brightened at this news. "What will you do with the baby once you find it?" she asked.

I shook my head. "We haven't thought that far ahead, to be honest."

"We only know that the baby shouldn't be left in the care of that leech," Jacob said. "Once he's destroyed and the baby's safe, then we'll figure it out."

"Well obviously you can't put it in foster care!" the blonde vampire said excitedly. "After all, it's half vampire, so it should be raised by vampires."

"What, like you?" Paul sneered.

Her eyes widened. "I didn't say that!"

_No, but I bet it's what you were thinking_, I replied silently. And in truth, I don't suppose I could blame her for having that glimmer of hope. She would never have a child of her own, and I don't think she had it in her to raise a human child, because one of two things would have to happen: one, she would have to walk away from it. She would remain unchanged while the child aged, and at some point, the child would have questions she either could not or would not be able to answer. There was either walking away knowing he or she would die eventually, or watching it happen, which even I didn't think she could do. There was also her aversion to creating another vampire. From what Jacob had told me years ago, she hadn't wanted Bella to become one because it meant giving up everything being human had to offer. I had interpreted that to mean the ability to have children, because it was the one thing, besides aging, that female vampires could not do. If Rosalie were to raise a human child, she would be faced with having to make the choice to bring him or her into a life she never would have chosen for herself.

Now, however, she had another option-raising a child that had been designed from conception to live forever. There would be no heartbreaking choice between walking away, watching the child grow old and die, or turning it into another one of her kind. She could simply love the child as she would love one of her own flesh. It's what she would have done for Nessie had Bella not survived. And perhaps she was right-maybe we should let them raise the baby. We certainly weren't going to be able to raise it on the reservation, because as Sam had pointed out, the accelerated growth rate would draw unwanted attention. Collin, if he didn't go mad, would very likely not want the spawn of the leech who had killed Sierra anywhere around him, no matter how much a part of her the baby was. They would also be able to teach the child their vegetarian lifestyle, as they called it, so that he or she would not be inclined to hunt humans for food.

It was, at the very least, something to consider.

"I think that right now our focus should be on locating the baby and its sire," said Edward. "Once the wolves have destroyed him, as is their right, then we can all decide what is best for the child. That is, of course, if you wish to include our opinions into the decision."

As Sam and Jacob both agreed with this, I found myself watching Edward and Bella, and it occurred to me that they might also want the chance to raise the baby. Their daughter would then have the little brother or sister she was otherwise never going to get. It might even be a good idea, for them or Rosalie to raise the baby, so that Renesmee wouldn't stand out as the only child in the family.

The discussion moved on to how to begin looking for the vampire. The logical place to start was Seattle, where Sierra's body had been found. La Push was suggested by someone, but that idea was shot down. After all, the police, the wolves, and even some of the Cullens had been over that area to exhaustion. Security cameras from the businesses surrounding the Waffle Cone had proved useless, as there had been no video captured of Sierra's kidnapping. Carlisle intended to contact some of his associates and friends in the vampire community to see if anyone had gotten wind of anything unusual. His check into unexplained deaths in the Seattle area had turned up nothing out of the ordinary, so the only connection to the city we had was that it was where the vampire had dumped Sierra once he had finished with her.

As the meeting was breaking up, I couldn't help but think that not much had been accomplished. Yes, Carlisle would be making phone calls. Alice was going to try and purposely look into the future, though without knowing anything about the vampire who had killed Sierra, and given his connection to her baby, her chances of seeing him were slim. Edward, Jasper, Jacob and Embry were due to drive into Seattle and start canvassing the city, looking for any sign of the vampire's whereabouts and activities. Sam and Paul, of course, were going back to the reservation to keep an eye on Collin.

And I suspected Rosalie was going shopping for baby clothes. She would buy boys' things, as they still had plenty of Nessie's clothes from her early days left over, just in case Sierra had had a son.

A vehicle was coming up the Cullens' driveway as those of us leaving stepped outside. I was somewhat shocked to see that it was Jacob's father, as Billy only came to the Cullen house at Christmas, where there was space enough for the large gathering of people they hosted. Although Billy had been grateful to Carlisle for his treatment of Jacob after he'd been injured in the fight with Victoria's newborn army (kinda my fault, that), although he had resigned himself to the fact that his son's best friend had married and then become a vampire-had even seemed resigned to the fact that Jacob would outlive their entire family because he'd imprinted on a half vampire, as I'd said to my mother weeks ago he was never truly comfortable around them, and only came here when he had to, preferring to see Jacob at home on the reservation.

If Billy was here, then something had happened at home. Something bad. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach as he pulled up beside my car, taking in the gathering of people outside with an anxious expression.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Jacob asked, jogging up to the driver's side door. "Something going on with Collin?"

Billy shook his head silently, and gestured for Jacob to lean closer. I admit I strained to hear whatever it was that Billy whispered into Jake's ear, but I missed it. Jake's head dropped and he swore, using a word I think I'd only ever heard him say once. He then slowly lifted his head and turned around, looking back at the rest of us, his eyes falling on Embry.

The knot in my stomach became full-on dread at the look in his eyes.

"Embry… Dad just told me that Cailin's gone missing."

As I had suspected the night before, the wolves with mates were taking no chances-they had all made sure to either be with their mates that day or to make sure their mates were being watched over by one of the unmated wolves. Seth had told Leland and me on the drive over who was being watched by whom, so I knew that Cailin was supposed to be at the village store with Henry until Embry could return.

All eyes turned to Jacob's Third, who was already visibly trembling. "Henry let her out of his sight?" he ground out through clenched teeth.

"Mrs. Diogi called him in the back room to help her lift some boxes," Billy said around Jacob's shoulder. "When he came back up front she was gone. He said that the scent of vampire was in the air-"

In an instant, several people-including myself and some of the vampires-were knocked aside as Embry phased, a loud, dangerous snarl emanating from his throat as he took off immediately for the woods.

Leland was picking me up off the ground as Jacob, Seth, Sam and Paul took off after him (though thankfully not phasing until they were well clear of everyone else). I walked up to Billy's truck. "Why didn't Henry come and report this himself?" I demanded.

"When he called me, he said he would have but that he thought it was a better idea that he go look for her," Jake's father replied. "I called Quil, Mikah and Mason to help him, so he isn't looking alone. Sam's pack is sticking close to the reservation until he calls for them."

I glanced toward the woods, hoping that Jacob and the others were able to catch up to Embry and reason with him. I could also feel my heart pounding, could feel a slow burn in my veins, heat racing along my arms and legs. The slumbering wolf inside me was wide awake now, and begging to be set free. I had made excuses for not phasing last night-Collin was a brother in arms, so to speak, but he wasn't a member of my pack. It didn't make it right, but because of that distinction I could put some distance between myself and the situation. I could make those excuses no more. Embry _was_ a member of my pack. In a way he truly was my brother, and he needed me.

I raised my eyes to Leland, though it was Edward Cullen who spoke to me. "Go. Your brothers need you."

My gaze fell on his in wonder. "Typical Edward fashion," he said with only a hint of humor in his voice. "Tell them Jasper and I will still go into Seattle to look around."

I nodded wordlessly, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. I turned again to Leland. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead, then said, "I'll head into the air. You go and help your brothers."

"But you'll be seen."

"Honey, don't worry about me," he said. "I'll be fine."

I looked behind me at the line of trees, then at Leland, and then a mix of resignation and determination stole over me. I was going to phase and become a wolf again, and I knew that I didn't care. It didn't matter that I'd be breaking my four-month streak-it was simply something that I knew I had to do.

Without another word, I turned toward the woods and started to jog, then sprint, then threw myself into a full-out run as my body exploded in all directions. I heard the voices in my head immediately, as I followed the scent trail left by the others.

_Leah!_ shouted more than one wolf in my mind.

_Leah, what are you doing?_ Jacob asked.

_What needs to be done_, I replied.

_Are you sure? You'll have to start over again, and I know how much giving it up means to you_.

_I know what it means_, I replied tersely. _That's not important right now_.

_Sis, what about…?_ began Seth, but I interrupted with a mental snarl.

_Guys, we don't have time for this! Embry? Embry, are you listening? Embry, Cailin will be alright. We are going to find her, but you have to let us help you_.

I felt confusion enter my mind as Embry's opened up; it was as if in his fear and rage he had not even heard us, but somehow I had broken through a barrier.

_Leah?_

_Yeah, it's me. Surprise!_

_What are you doing?_ Embry asked.

_What needs to be done, man. Look, stop where you are and let us catch up. We can figure this out together_.

Already I was catching up to Jacob, my brother, Sam and Paul-I could see the dust they were kicking up as they ran. I put on more speed and the gap closed even more. In just moments I was coming abreast of Seth, who was bringing up the rear. It was as if the last four months being free of my animal side had never happened, the strength and speed were coming back so naturally.

_Excuse me, little brother_, I joked as I passed him and began inching up on Paul.

_Leah? Nah, couldn't be_.

I shook my head as I became neck-and-neck with Paul, who glanced at me long enough to stick his tongue out. But I barely noticed, because for just a moment I could have sworn I had heard Leland's voice in my head.

_You heard me? Did you really?_

There it was again! I had to be imagining things-no way was I hearing Leland's voice, it was impossible!

_I don't think so, honey, because I'm hearing everything you think_, said Leland. _It's really weird, almost like you're up here right next to me, or like I'm in your head_.

_Leland!_ I exclaimed mentally, excitement and confusion lacing my voice.

_Leah, what the heck?_ called Jacob.

I was passing Sam's hindquarters now. _Jake, I can hear him. I swear, I can hear Leland just like I hear you!_

_I don't hear anything_.

_I don't hear anyone else,_ said Leland. _I just hear you_.

_I don't get it_, I said. _It's just like the pack mind, but it's only the two of us_.

_Sam says it could be because you and Leland are bonded_, Jacob said after a moment. _Could be that the two-way pair-bond opened up the connection between you. You guys just never knew it because you'd never been animals at the same time before_.

_Maybe_, I thought.

_I see Embry ahead of you guys, but not far_, Leland told me. _Looks like he's stopping_.

_He knows he can't enter the village like he is, and he has no clothes on him_.

I had just pulled even with Sam when I noticed Embry facing us up ahead. He was pacing back and forth, breathing heavily.

_I gotta find her_, he was saying. _She's my everything, guys, I_ have _to find her_.

_I know_, Jacob replied calmly. _And we will, you have my word on that_.

_Jake's right, Embry_, I added. _We have something to go on this time-the bloodsucker was stupid enough to walk right into our territory, and the scent trail is fresh. Henry's on it right now._

_ Well then why the hell haven't we heard his voice in our heads?_ Embry shouted.

_I've been concentrating_, Henry spoke up. _Quil, the twins and I are following the trail they left_.

_Yeah, looks like the leech is headed south_, piped up Quil.

_Seattle is east_, added Mason, Mikah's twin brother. _If it's the same one that took Sierra, he could be headed in a different direction to throw trackers off the trail_.

_Then what are we waiting for?_ Embry shouted as he started in our direction. _Let's go!_

_ Embry, hold on a minute!_ Jacob shouted. _Yes, Sam, I know… Embry, we're not on the scent trail like Henry, Quil and the twins. We have to meet up with them first. What, Sam? … You sure? … Okay then. See ya later, bro_.

It was always a little unnerving to listen to Jacob talking to Sam and not hearing Sam's thoughts in return-to me it was a lot like listening to just one side of a telephone conversation. I watched Sam and Paul keep on running as Jacob, Seth and I pulled to a stop in front of Embry.

_Where are they going?_ Seth asked. Leland echoed his sentiment.

I looked up, searching what sky I could see through the trees for any sign of Leland's giant raven form. I saw nothing.

He chuckled in my mind. _I told you not to worry_, he said.

_Henry, where are you guys?_ Jacob asked.

Images flooded my mind as Henry and the others tried to show us their location. _Okay, I think I know where that is. Stop there and we'll meet you_, Jacob told them, then started off again. I followed on his right, Embry on his left, with Seth once again pulling up the rear.

_Looks like Sam and Paul are headed back to the reservation_, Leland said to me.

I repeated the observation to Jacob. _They are_, he said_. Sam and his boys are checking up on the other mates and are setting up a perimeter around the rez. No other leech is gonna get through our borders again_.

_Leland, how in the world can you see us from however high up you are?_ I had to ask. _I looked for you and couldn't see any sign of you_.

_I don't know, some kind of special bird sight, maybe? Wild birds can see prey from a mile or so above the ground, at least some of them can. You guys look like ants from up here, but I know it's you by the colors of your hides_.

_You know, I'd be amazed that I can hear you from so far away if it weren't for the fact that the wolves have gone more than three hundred miles apart and heard each other. _

_ That's pretty far_, Leland replied.

_I'm glad we have an extra pair of eyes and all, but can you cut the chatter?_ Seth groaned. _It's so weird hearing you talk to someone else I can't hear. It's like listening to Jake and Sam. And before you even say it, I know you were thinking the same thing about them just a few minutes ago_.

I laughed, and it hit me at that moment that despite the grumbling and griping the wolves always did about having no privacy in animal form, I had actually _missed_ this-the back and forth, the instant sharing of ideas, the ability to see through the eyes of the other wolves. It was a camaraderie that I had only ever known while I was a wolf. Sure, when we were human we were still close to one another, but we also seemed to just go on about our daily "normal" lives, separate from each other. Did that mean that I had actually missed being a wolf and just didn't know it?

_Hey, Leah?_ Embry broke into my thoughts.

_Yeah?_

_I wanted to say thanks. I know what becoming a wolf is costing you, and I just want you to know how much it means to me that you're willing to give it up to help me. And Cailin._

_ I told you, anything for a brother-or sister, for that matter. I probably should have done this weeks ago, when Sierra was taken. I'm just sorry that I was too chicken and selfish to realize it. I … I thought I had to give it up to be me again. I thought I had made my peace with who and what I am, but I realize now that I've never really accepted the wolf as a part of what makes me … me. I'm such a hypocrite._

_ How does that make you a hypocrite?_ Jacob asked.

_When Leland first phased, we told him that accepting the raven as a part of who he is was one of the steps in controlling it. But I never truly did that myself-I never accepted the wolf, I just wanted to get rid of it. Right now, though, all I know is that I couldn't keep abandoning my brothers when they need me. I can stop phasing again when this is all over. If I did it once, I can do it again._

_ Leah? _said another of the wolves.

_ Yes, Quil?_

_ Welcome back_.

* * *

><p>We met up with Quil, Henry, Mikah and Mason, and headed off to follow the scent trail. When I first smelled it my senses kicked in, and I knew instantly that it was the same vampire that had been to the reservation just last night. What the hell had the leech done, waited in the water for an opportune moment? Was he or she not repulsed by the smell of the wolves, which I knew had to be permeating the air throughout the reservation? His actions just didn't make sense, not to any of us.<p>

I was concerned about Leland spending so much time in the air, as he followed us from above. He had never flown so long before, but he insisted that he was fine, and kept telling me to stop worrying about him (yeah, like that was gonna happen). I told him that if he got even the least bit tired, I wanted him to land somewhere and rest. The wolves were experienced enough in tracking that we could do this on our own.

The eight of us wolves followed the trail of the vampire south until it came to a dead end on the bank of the Hoh River. Careful of being seen, we traveled up and down the shore, looking for some sign that the leech had gone into the water and come out at some other point. We found nothing on the north bank, and so I led Quil, Embry, and Seth across the river to check on the other side. We ran parallel with Jake, Henry, Mikah and Mason for miles going both east and west.

Still nothing. After a couple of hours of fruitless searching, we were forced to conclude that the leech must've had a boat waiting here, which was something we were not going to be able to track. When my group rejoined the others, it was with heavy hearts that we started back for the reservation. I felt so sorry for Embry, though I tried not to think about it. I could feel despondency creeping into his thoughts, and he didn't need me making things worse.

On the way home, Jacob grilled Henry on what had happened that morning. He told us much the same story Billy had, that Mrs. Diogi had called him into the stockroom to help her move some heavy boxes. Knowing how paranoid the imprinted wolves were that their mates were targets, he hadn't wanted to leave Cailin alone up front, but he'd really had no choice. Henry had thought he would only be gone a couple of minutes, and that Cailin would be just fine alone for that long (Embry growled at this). When he'd come back from the stockroom about fifteen minutes later, he had immediately smelled the vampire's scent, and had searched the entire store for Cailin, inside and out. She was gone.

Henry had wanted to give chase immediately, but he couldn't just leave his job. The first person he called was his dad, who was in the know, and told him to call the store with some excuse for needing him at home, because Cailin was missing. Then he had called Billy and asked him to get a hold of his packmates and to notify Jacob and Embry about what had happened. Because the vampire had a total of about half an hour's head start, from the moment he finally got to leave work until he first spoke to us he'd centered all his focus on following the scent trail.

It was only at this point that I remembered to tell them that Edward and Jasper were still going to Seattle as planned. This put a quickness to the steps of the others, who wanted to get home as soon as possible and were hoping that Jacob's future relatives (and mine and Seth's) would have something positive to tell us.

We'd been gone for several hours by the time we got close to home. Leland had been forced to land in order to rest some time before, but he had stayed in his raven form to remain connected to me. I'd wanted to leave the others and meet up with him, but once again he insisted he was fine and told me not to worry-he said he would take to the air again as soon as he felt strong enough, and that if he happened to get turned around, he knew all he had to do was find the coast and follow it north. Naturally, this did not stop me from being concerned.

Jacob spoke to Sam several times throughout our trip, assuring Quil and Mikah that both Claire and Ayana were safe and sound. Sam had also, unfortunately, had to call my mother to do a check-up on Emily who, influenced by the news of Sierra's death and Cailin's disappearance, had gotten so stressed out she'd begun having contractions. They were able to calm her, though, so a trip to the hospital was not needed. Mom had told Emily to stay in bed the rest of the day and not to get up unless she had to go to the bathroom.

When Jake asked Sam to find out if my mother or his father had heard from the Cullens, he reported back that no, they had not, but that my mother had spoken to Charlie, who told her he and Nessie were having a swell time together. Jacob's relief was palpable. Knowing his imprint was also safe was a weight lifted from his shoulders, so he decided then that once we were in range, he was heading off to the Cullens to wait for Jasper and Edward (and Renesmee) to return. Embry decided to go with him, and we all knew he was hoping they had found out something that could lead us to Cailin.

The entire pack felt how torn I was between wanting to go with Jacob to hear the report from the Cullens, to wanting to go back to Leland's to wait for him. I knew that having been in animal form as long as he had would exhaust him, and I wanted to be sure he was alright. He was also going to need some clothes, unless he'd actually stripped down in front of the vampires and left what he'd been wearing this morning in my car (the car being another reason I needed to go to the leeches' nest).

Leland was amused when he heard this. _I didn't get naked, honey, so there's no reason for you to go killing your blonde vampire friend_.

_She is so_ not _my friend_, was my snarky reply.

_Who's not your friend?_ asked Seth.

_Five bucks says she's talking about Bella_, offered Embry, who'd been mostly quiet on the way home.

_My money's on Rosalie_, put in Mikah.

_I got five on Alice_, added his brother (we all knew Mason only said that because he thought Alice was cute, and wanted to include her for the sake of doing so).

Jacob laughed in our heads. _I'm with Mikah-she's definitely talking about Vampire Barbie. So what's up, Leah? Who's not your friend and why?_

I growled, so happy that they were amused. _Leland apparently thinks I'd want to kill Rosalie if she'd seen him disrobe before he took off this morning_.

_Did she?_ Jake wondered.

_Yeah, did she?_ I asked, directing my thought to Leland.

He laughed. _I have no idea, unless she was watching from the house. Like I said, I didn't get naked, but I did take most of my stuff off and threw it in your car. I certainly couldn't go home and run into the house without clothes on-I'd embarrass my sister and probably give Branson an aneurism. The doctor watched me change form, though, because apparently he's fascinated with shapeshifters_.

I replayed his response for the others, then said, _Yeah, Carlisle's weird like that_. _It's a doctor thing, I think_.

_Hey, Sis … you called him Carlisle_, said Seth with wonder in his tone.

_Uh, yeah. That's his name, isn't it?_ I retorted.

_I think he's surprised because you never call them by name_, Henry pointed out. _You even called Rosalie by name_.

_He's right_, Jacob said. _Usually you refer to them as 'the Cullens,' or other less respectful names_.

_Yeah, only ones I've ever heard you refer to by name are Bella and Edward_, piped up Quil. _And Nessie_.

_Maybe she's starting to like them_, said Mason. _Now _that_ would be weird_.

'_Cause Leah hates vampires_, added Mikah.

_I've had reason to hate vampires_, I growled. _Two, in fact, called imprinting and shapeshifting. Want a reminder of why?_

_No!_ shouted Jacob, Embry, Seth and Quil.

I laughed. _I didn't think so. Anyway… Lee, you'll meet us there, then, at the Cullens?_

_Yeah. I'm taking off now. I shouldn't be too far behind you_.

_Okay. I'd say hurry, but I want you to take it easy. You're still pretty new to this and you've never spent so much time in the air. I don't want you wearing yourself out_.

Leland's mental voice chuckled again. _You are going to make a great mother some day_, he said.

_Whatever makes you say that?_

_Because you worry too much_.

_Speaking of clothes_, Seth said then, _I don't have any_.

_You go ahead and go home_, Jacob told him. _Check up on your mom and my dad, okay?_ _Quil, Mikah, go check on your girls. Mason go check on your family_. _I'll be in touch_.

It was then that I noticed just how close to home we were. The boys all acknowledged and then Seth, Quil and the twins peeled to the left. The rest of us went right, toward Forks.

_Uh, Jake?_ said Embry.

_Yeah, bro?_

_I don't have anything to wear, either. _

_We're in the same sitch, kid_, I told him. _Jake, should we wait in the woods for you to come tell us what they say?_

_No! I want to hear it myself_, Embry said sharply.

_Alright, sorry_, I said quickly. _Maybe… maybe Jasper or Edward will have something you can wear. Or Emmett-that is, if you can stand wearing clothes that reek of vampire. _

_I don't care about that right now._

_I'm still the same size as Esme, wouldn't you say, Jake?_

_Leah, the last time Esme gave you something to wear, you threw it in the river_, Jacob said.

I growled again, though this time from embarrassment. _That was not me_.

_Uh-huh. Who was it then?_

_My evil twin sister_, I said firmly. _Total freak show, that one. So glad she left town._

_Yeah, I don't miss her either_, Embry said, almost himself again.

_Nobody does_, Jacob added. _Oh, hey Sam. How're Emily and the baby? … Oh, cool. Glad to hear they're doing better. Thanks for taking the time to let us know. Hey, can you do me a favor? … Leah and Embry are going with me back to the Cullens-the others are headed home. Could you call over to the vamps' and have them put something out for Leah and Embry to wear? … No, don't bother having Sue get them stuff, they've already said they'll deal. You take care of Emily, man. Talk to you soon … Okay, I'll tell her._

_Tell who what?_ I asked.

_Sam said Emily is resting and the baby is just fine; your mom was just there to see them again. He said he'll call ahead so you guys have clothes to wear. And he told me to tell you he appreciates the sacrifice you made today. _

_I should have done it for Collin, too._

_Leah, don't beat yourself up over it. I hate to say this, but I doubt you would have made any difference. None of the rest of us had any luck finding Sierra. _

_He's right_, said Embry.

_I could have provided moral support, then._

_You provided plenty of that as a human. Being a wolf doesn't change how your heart feels_, Jacob said solemnly.

I didn't reply-I knew he was right. But that didn't stop my mind and my heart from flooding with guilt that I had been so wrapped up in my own feelings that I hadn't been able to bring myself to become a wolf again. Not until one of my own pack was threatened. But then maybe Sam understood that, who knew? It felt good, I had to admit, that they weren't wishing me gone. In fact, they had all welcomed me with open arms. From the feelings I'd gotten from my pack brothers, no one was blaming me for not doing this sooner (except for me), they were just glad to have me back-

-to have their sister among them again.


	18. Chapter 17

**17. The Gauntlet is Thrown**

When we arrived at the Cullens' place, we found three piles of clothes at the edge of the woods. Jacob recognized his own things right away and, grabbing them in his mouth, trotted off a few paces to change. Embry and I sniffed the other two piles to determine which was for us, then did the same. I was obviously not in as much of a hurry as they were; though I dressed quickly after changing form, I didn't do it lightning fast, and by the time I stepped back out on the lawn, Embry and Jacob were already stepping through the sliding glass door.

My movements were a little sluggish, I admit. I hadn't thought about how I was going to feel once I'd turned back into a woman, and as I climbed those few steps, I began to feel the exhaustion I had warned Leland about. Four months proved to be a long time to go without phasing, as by the time I walked through the door, I felt like dropping. For the better part of three years, since the very first time, I'd been phasing regularly-typically once a day, for no less than three hours. There was also a time (right before Nessie's birth) that I'd even spent days at a time in wolf form. But my number one 2009 New Year's Resolution was to give up the wolf, so that I would begin aging again, thus getting my body back to normal.

First step of the process was to go one day a week without phasing, then two days, and then so on. I had my share of challenges-people at school getting on my nerves, my classes stressing me out, that sort of thing. But the first week of March was my first full week of being wolf-free, and I was so afraid that spending an entire two weeks at home was more than I could handle that I only went home for one weekend during Spring Break, which soon followed. But then June 3rd had arrived, and school was over. I promised my mother when she called that night to congratulate me that I would spend the entire summer at home on the reservation, so I was stuck. Over the next two days I packed my things and made arrangements with my roommate Cassie to help her pay the rent until she could find someone else to share the place with, because I was planning to move to Seattle by summer's end. The University of Washington's main campus was there, and they had a great economics program.

June was a crazy month-I found out I was capable of imprinting after all when I met Leland, and then found out he was a shapeshifter, too. Sierra's disappearance and my mother's engagement had both been shocks to my system, but I managed to remain free of the wolf for another four weeks, and I was proud of that fact until Cailin's disappearance showed me how selfish I had been. It wasn't until I'd broken my four-month streak that it dawned on me I had not truly accepted the wolf as a part of who I was like I'd believed.

Someone else's personal crisis is a heck of a time to have an epiphany.

Well, I could work through that again later. All I knew at that moment, when I walked through those doors, was that I was exhausted … and hungry. Being a wolf burns a lot of calories, so one of the reasons the boys ate so much was to replenish those calories, giving us more energy to burn the next time we phased. I guess my condition was apparent, for when I stumbled, Carlisle was next to me instantly, guiding me to a chair.

"Are you alright, Leah?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I said as I sat down, "just tired. I didn't realize that coming back to work after having taken a four-month sabbatical would wear me out so much."

"Is there anything I can get for you?"

I looked up into his butterscotch eyes and saw concern that was almost … fatherly. Kinda weird for a girl who was just getting used to the fact that maybe she didn't hate her mortal enemies as much as she thought she did to see one of them looking at her like that. I averted my gaze and took in the plain white t-shirt and denim shorts that I had put on. "Some Febreeze would be nice," I replied jokingly, indicating my attire. "And a steak-a huge one."

Carlisle chuckled as he straightened. "Esme and Bella are in the kitchen making food for the others now," he said. "Baked chicken is on the menu, but if you really want a steak, I'm sure Esme wouldn't mind making one."

I shook my head. "No, that's fine," I said, noticing that Embry and Jacob were not in the living room with us. They were either in Jacob's room upstairs or in the kitchen with Bella and Esme. I also noticed that nobody else was there, either, and inquired as to the whereabouts of the rest of his family. Carlisle said that Emmett had gone with Edward and Jasper to Seattle and that the three were due back soon. He also confirmed that my brothers were in the kitchen-"Embry may wear a hole in the tile with his pacing," he said-and that Rosalie and Alice had gone shopping.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" I mused.

Carlisle laughed, and then his expression turned serious. "I take it you've guessed that Rosalie already has her heart set on Sierra's child joining our family," he told me, at last taking a seat on the couch.

"I kinda figured as much this morning," I said with a nod. "I also thought that Bella and Edward might want the baby so that Renesmee could have a sibling."

"I think Bella and Esme have discussed that option as well," said my companion. "And I don't believe Edward would have any serious objections."

"It's probably for the best if he or she does," I went on. "I mean, we certainly can't raise it, not with the whole accelerated aging thing. Plus, as much as he loved Sierra, Collin's not likely to want that leech's hell-spawn running around the reservation, where it would only be a reminder of how she died. It would be best if you guys or your Alaskan kinfolk take the baby, so you can teach it that humans are not food."

Carlisle smiled at me. "I'm grateful that you think so highly of us and our lifestyle."

"I meant that as a compliment."

"I know you did. That's why it pleases me so. I know our moving back to Forks six years ago did a great deal of damage to you personally, and I'm sorry our arrival caused you so much pain. If I could change the effect we have on your people, I would," said the doctor solemnly.

Once again I looked at him straight on. Carlisle's marble face showed only sympathy, and maybe a little sorrow. He really was sorry, I could see, and he meant it when he said he would change things if he could. And that pleased me, even though I knew in my heart that even had he the ability, I wouldn't want him to do it. 'Everything that happens does so for a reason' is a lesson hard-learned, but I had learned it. The price for that was my boyfriend, my father, my dignity, my self-respect and the respect of my peers. I could not get the first or second of those back, but the others I had been working to reclaim for almost three years. The reward was that I had learned not only that lesson, but so many others, and I had a newfound appreciation for the people in my life. I also had a new love, and was on the way to accepting every aspect of who I was…

…including the wolf.

I sighed. "Thank you, Carlisle, but no thank you," I said in reply. "_Que sera, sera_, and all that. It's one of the things I've been trying to drill into Leland since he began phasing, that what's meant to happen is going to happen no matter how much we hate it or try to change it."

At the mention of Leland, Carlisle smiled. "I have to say that I am truly fascinated by the fact that there is another form of shapeshifter. I can't help but wonder how many more there are, and whether or not they're exclusive to First Nations communities or if other cultures may have them."

I thought of Cailin and the story she'd told the day I had met her. "Cailin once said that there are stories about dragon shapeshifters in Celtic mythology, though even knowing what I do, I have to say I find it hard to believe. Then again, her argument for it does make sense."

"What did she say?"

"Well, first she said that she refused to believe dragons weren't real, because if there were gigantic lizards called dinosaurs, why not dragons?"

Carlisle nodded, smiling. "That does make sense, I suppose. But how does she account for there being no skeletal remains?"

"Dragons are immortal."

The vampire laughed, and I smiled. I realized then that I was bonding with this man, who by his own confession had ruined my life. One more thing I realized was that I had forgiven him for that. I could not blame him for being what he was, as he'd had no choice in the matter, and really, how was he to know that the phasing gene hadn't died with the last pack? How could he have possibly known that coming back here would set so many different balls to rolling, or change so many lives? All he'd wanted was a quiet life with his family in a nice community, in a place where they could walk around among their neighbors in the daytime.

"Cailin also said that either the shapeshifters now live among their wild dragon brethren hidden somewhere, or that they, too, live among their neighbors and simply keep the truth a secret, like we do," I added.

"I've only met her once, but it sounds like Cailin is a very bright girl," Carlisle said.

"Cai's a brilliant girl," said Embry as he, Jake, Bella and Esme came in from the kitchen. "You have no idea how awesome she is."

"Then I look forward to finding out," the doctor said as he stood, giving Embry and Jacob the whole of the couch.

Esme handed me a plate, and I had to admit that the chicken and sides looked and smelled delicious. Then I felt my cheeks flush, as I remembered that one time when she had offered me food, I had also thrown that in the river. Perhaps she was recalling that as well, as when I glanced at her she was smiling.

Bella handed me a drink and then dropped down on the couch between Jake and Embry. "I wish Edward and the others would get back here," she said. "This waiting is driving me crazy."

_You think it's driving you crazy?_ I wondered, watching as her words caused Embry to flinch. He said nothing though, and dug into his food. I set the glass of soda on the coffee table so I could concentrate on eating. I took a bite of my own food and felt my taste buds rejoice-this really was good. Bella and Embry weren't the only ones going crazy waiting. Although I was certainly eager to hear if her husband and his brothers had learned anything in Seattle, I was also wondering where in the world Leland was. I couldn't hear his thoughts in this form, and I'd hoped he would be here by now, but he hadn't shown up yet. I swore to myself that if he did not appear by the time I finished my meal, then I was going back outside and phasing to listen for his voice in my head, and I was prepared to search for him if I had to, no matter how much he told me not to worry.

It proved to be unnecessary a few minutes later, as all four of the men we were waiting on came in through the front door. Bella jumped up to embrace Edward, and I put my plate down and got up so that Leland could have the chair I was sitting in. I hadn't even heard him in the front yard getting into my car, but he was indeed dressed in the same clothes that he had worn that morning, and once again his hair was unbound. He looked worse than I had felt a little while ago, and my gratitude was indescribable when Esme went into the kitchen and came back with a plate for him, without having to be asked.

Embry nearly threw his plate onto the coffee table as he stood. "What did you find out? Did you find out anything? See anything? Please, tell me something-anything."

His desperation had returned in full force, and was plainly written on his face. Neither Edward nor his brothers smiled, but then neither did they look entirely grim. "We did find out something," Edward said slowly.

"I'm afraid it isn't much," added Jasper. "We went first to the place where Sierra was found. Naturally the scent trail was extremely weak and hard to follow, but we had hoped to find some clue there."

"Didn't find jack," said Emmett, picking up the narrative, "but then we spread out and looked all over the city, sniffing around like bloodhounds to see if we could find the smell that was on that piece of cloth."

"Edward just said you found something," Embry said through clenched teeth.

"We did, Embry, or rather Jasper did," said Edward.

We all looked at Jasper, who of all of us appeared unaffected by Embry's dark expression. Quite calmly he said, "I picked up a faint trace of the scent in the warehouse district, and followed it to an abandoned factory. The smell was stronger inside, and there was evidence suggesting it was the place where Sierra's child was born, but there was, unfortunately, no other sign of the child or the vampire who created him or her."

By "evidence," I had the feeling that Jasper meant blood, or more likely, bloodstains, so I was glad he didn't actually describe what he had seen. I was also glad the guy had enough sense not to say it was where Sierra had given birth, as I thought that would have been highly insensitive, and to have called the leech who had all but killed Sierra himself a father would have been laughable at best. It was nice to know that some vampires had tact.

"He called us and we joined him in searching the factory," Edward went on, "and further evidence suggests that there was more than just the one vampire."

"You mean somebody's helping this psycho?" Jacob demanded.

Edward nodded. "It would appear so. There was a second scent trail inside the factory, though I admit it could have been the child's."

"Was there anything to indicate where they went?" Embry asked.

This time Edward shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he replied.

"Yeah, the trail ended at the factory," Emmett added, "and we couldn't find one leading away from it, so we think they went into the sewers."

"Well, why didn't you follow the trail there?"

Jacob stood and walked over to where Embry stood facing off against the three vampires. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Embry, calm down, bro."

Embry shook him off. "Don't tell me to calm down!" he shouted. "The psycho that took Sierra and let his demon seed tear her open took _my_ mate, not yours! You wouldn't freakin' be calm if Nessie had disappeared!"

Throwing Renesmee into the conversation affected more than just Jacob-everyone one of the Cullens, her parents especially, either flinched or changed expression when the little girl's nickname was spoken.

"You're right, I wouldn't," Jake said. "I'd be as pissed as you are."

Embry's eyes were wild as he said, "I swear if Collin doesn't get to him first, I'm gonna tear that bloodsucker's stone-cold heart out with my bare hand."

As soon as Embry's ire had subsided (somewhat), Edward went on to explain that the reason they had not followed the sent trail into the sewer is that they could not find the access point. "We don't know for sure if indeed the sewer is where they went, that's only a guess at this juncture. We only know that the trail goes into and was stronger on the inside of the factory than it was outside," he said. "We tore that place apart-literally and figuratively-looking for their exit point. It was quite well hidden, wherever it was. I have no wish to give your sister's killer any credit, but however he and his companion escaped, they covered their tracks well. "

"Edward thought it a good idea to place an anonymous call to the Seattle Police Department," offered Emmett. "They will at least discover the place where Sierra was … held prisoner and killed."

"But they won't find the person who killed her," said Esme sadly.

"No they won't," I replied. "But we will."

* * *

><p>We discussed the discoveries (and lack thereof) that each group had made for more than an hour, until Charlie showed up with a sleeping Nessie. When her parents left with her, taking their daughter to her own bed in their cottage, it was an unspoken signal that said it was time to go. Embry seemed so lost, not having any truly positive news about Cailin, that Jacob invited him to stay in his room for the night. I was relieved that he had thought of it, and I suspected he had done so in part to keep an eye on his friend. The knowing look he shot me from behind Embry's back confirmed it: by inviting him to crash there, he was making sure the despondent boy didn't try and take off on his own to look for his girl.<p>

I knew the thought that was on everyone's mind had gone unspoken for the simple fact that saying it out loud would make it an all too real possibility, one that none of us wanted to consider: Had the vampire taken Cailin to impregnate her as well? I suspected that if someone had said it out loud, Embry would have phased again and had a showdown with the speaker, much the way Collin had gone off on Sam the night before … and one of them definitely would have gotten hurt.

I couldn't help but wonder as I drove Leland home (my cell phone, wallet, and car keys had been rescued from the Cullens' lawn after I phased) what had become of Sierra's kidnapper, the baby, and the mystery companion. How could they have possibly left the factory without leaving some indication of where they had gone? Was it possible that they had back-tracked their own scent trails? If that were true, though, how come it was only _inside_ the factory that the Cullen boys had detected the second scent? And if they had, why hadn't Jasper or one of the others found where they had trailed off? Was it really possible that the second scent was the baby's and not another (full) vampire's at all? And where in the world had they taken Cailin?

It was maddening having so many questions and no answers, and being so frustrated by my own thoughts gave me some miniscule indication of how Embry was feeling. It was beyond awful.

It was, of course, fairly late when I pulled up between Branson's Bronco and Leland's Thunderbird, but Shalayne, it turned out, was still up. She ran outside and demanded to know where her brother had been all day and why hadn't he returned her calls. Leland looked at me and I returned his gaze, hoping that the message was clear: _Think of something_.

"Look, Shalayne, I'm really tired," he said at last. "It's been a very long day."

"That doesn't answer my question!" his sister replied hotly. "You can't just leave me here alone all day with only Branson to keep me company and not explain yourself!"

Leland's expression darkened. "Actually, I can. I'm sorry, though, that you feel like Branson was the only company you had. There are dozens of young women on this reservation you could have spent your time with."

"I don't know any of them," Shalayne said with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest.

"That's what you get for spending most of the last few days with Seth," he told her.

Shalayne released a muffled scream. "Ugh, I wish I had come over here with Aitana! At least _then_ I would get some straight answers!"

With that she stomped her foot and stormed back into the house. Leland shook his head. "What the hell just happened?"

I was staring in the direction Shalayne had gone, wondering that myself. Was it possible that being here less than a week and meeting the vampires once was already having an effect on whatever shape-shifting gene she possessed-if she had one?

"I don't know," I said with a shrug, "but you might want to keep an eye on her. That could have been just a warning of things to come."

He looked at me. "You mean like she's on the verge of phasing?"

"Could be. Or maybe she was just in a really bad mood. Where is your cell phone, by the way?"

He reached into a pocket and pulled it out. "Obviously I couldn't take it with me," he said absently as he flipped it open and checked for messages-Shalayne had left him more than thirty texts and about half a dozen voicemails. Leland groaned and simply deleted them all.

"What am I going to do if she does phase?"

I rubbed a hand along his arm. "Same thing I'm doing with you-support her any way you can. If she becomes a raven, you'll know exactly what she's going through, so you'll be the perfect person to help guide her. If she becomes a wolf, there are nineteen of us to help her figure it all out. But you have to remember that on both sides of the coin, females inheriting the shape-shifting gene are almost non-existent. Meiko said there has never been a female raven, and I'm not even supposed to be a wolf. Like I said, it could just be a bad mood."

"I know," Leland said, shaking his head again. "But that was not my sister. She's temperamental like any teenage girl, I suppose, but I have never seen her act that way before-ever."

I sighed, then stepped in front of him so I could hug him properly. We wrapped our arms around each other and simply stood there, silently, for several minutes.

"You stand here much longer and I'm gonna want to drag you into the house with me," Leland said into my hair after a while.

I chuckled. "I stand here too much longer and I'll let you. I think we both spent all our energy today." With another, more resigned sigh, I stepped back from him and looked up. "Go drag yourself into the house and go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow."

Leland grinned in spite of the fatigue I could clearly see etched in his face and in the set of his shoulders. "Yes, ma'am, Ms. Clearwater," he said, then ducked his head and kissed me.

I kissed him back, thoroughly, and then pushed him away and toward his front door. Leland stood on the porch watching as I got back into my car and drove away. When I got home, I found the porch light on, and I smiled fondly, thinking of my mother, who was probably getting ready for bed. I opened the door and shut it behind me, throwing the deadbolt again, and headed for her room.

Knocking lightly on the door, I opened it when she called out "Come in." I smiled at her when she looked at me. "Hey, Mom."

Mom smiled. "Hey, sweetie. I heard what happened today. How are you?"

"I'm okay," I said with a shrug, coming in further and sitting on the edge of her bed. "I feel kinda worn out, but it's not so bad. I didn't think about the fact that not having done it in four months would probably affect how I'd feel when I changed back. During, it was almost as if I'd never stopped. Everything just came right back to me-the speed, the talking through the mental link… Oh, did Seth tell you how Leland and I can hear each other's thoughts?"

Mom joined me on the side of her bed. "He did. I think that's amazing, and I agree with Sam in that it must have something to do with you being imprinted on each other, or maybe just because you're both shapeshifters-though if that were true, you'd think at least the rest of your pack would hear him. So the only explanation I can see is the two-way pair bond."

"I was certainly glad for it, especially when Lee had to set down and get some rest, because at least I knew he was alright. I told him not to overdo it but the fool wouldn't listen to me."

My mother put an arm around my shoulders. "Get used to it, love. Men never learn to listen. How is he now?"

"Exhausted like me, though probably more so. And in bed sound asleep if he has any sense at all," I said, then went on to tell her about Shalayne's outburst. She agreed it was extraordinary that Shalayne could already be displaying pre-phasing behavior, even though so little time had passed since her arrival. We once again visited the idea that proximity to other shapeshifters could be accelerating the process, something that had been suggested when Leland first began to act out. Then I suggested an idea that came to me in that moment: Maybe the reason it took so long for the wolves to begin emerging was because the Cullens hadn't killed anyone. Maybe it wasn't just vampires, but also the death they left in their wake that triggered the change-death being a signal of danger.

It would also be extraordinary if Shalayne carried a shapeshifting gene at all. If she were to become a raven she would, like me, be the only female of her kind. Ever. If the wolf proved stronger in her case, then I would no longer be the only female of my kind.

"You'd still be the first though, honey," my mom said.

I looked at her. "I know. On the one hand, Rosalie and I have something in common-this isn't a life I would wish on anyone, and I can't say I would've chosen it had I been given the option of saying yes or no. On the other hand, I also can't say I wouldn't be thrilled to have a sister in arms. I wouldn't be the only girly wolf anymore, which is a distinction that hasn't always been complimentary."

Mom nodded. "I'm thinking wolf, to be honest," she said after a moment.

"What makes you think so?" I asked.

"Think about it. From what you told me, Leland imprinted on you immediately, and according to his cousin that was the first sign he was going to phase."

I nodded. "True, but then his being in a town where there were vampires could have been the first trigger, and that secondary to it."

She nodded again. "Granted, but what I'm getting at is that Shalayne hasn't shown a preference for any of the boys here except for Seth, who has assured me more than once that she only sees him as a friend. He said she hasn't come right out and said it, of course, but that she's hinted at it several times, like she wanted to be sure he understood that was all they would be."

"He's probably just glad a girl thinks he's cool," I said.

Mom laughed. "That's also true."

"So what you're saying is that because she's not acting like Leland did when he first came here, then if Shalayne's going to change at all, it's going to be the wolf."

"That's what I think," my mother conceded.

Logically, her argument made sense, and after a mental review of Shalayne's behavior over the last few days, I found myself agreeing with her. I shouldn't be glad, I knew, because if she really was a shapeshifter, she had a long and difficult road ahead of her. But a part of me was hoping, if she was becoming a shapeshifter, that the wolf was indeed her form. It was only in recent months, when I was trying to give it up, that I had begun to understand that in some ways, it was an honor to be the only female. But even if Shalayne became a wolf too, it wouldn't take all the distinction away-I wouldn't be the only, but as my mother had pointed out, I would always be the first. I would truly be an Alpha female.

"Honey, you do look tired," Mom was saying. "I think you should go to bed, too."

"I will," I said, yawning as I stood. "But I want a shower first. Not only do I feel like I'm dirty, I'm wearing Esme's clothes, and the smell is starting to bug me."

Mom shook her head with a grin, and after saying goodnight, I went into my room and picked out a fresh nightgown. Then I went into the bathroom, closed the door, and turned on the shower. I sighed contentedly when I had stripped down and stepped under the hot spray, turning round so that the water could hit every part of me that ached.

I was in the midst of washing my hair when my cell phone rang-I had forgotten to take it out of the pocket of the shorts I'd been given. At first I was tempted to ignore the phone, but when it rang a second and then a third time, I sighed and moved the shower curtain aside, bending to reach for the shorts still lying on the floor. Besides, it could be Leland calling, or Jacob, or even Sam, and I wouldn't want to ignore the call if it were about something important.

I was surprised, however, to see a Seattle area code when I checked the caller I.D. I felt a chill run down my spine despite the hot water still stinging my skin, and opened my phone warily.

"L-Leah?"

I nearly dropped the phone. "Cailin?" I said excitedly.

The voice that answered my query, however, was not hers.

"Is this Leah Clearwater?" said a thickly accented voice. A female voice, in fact, which had my brow drawing together in consternation.

"Who is this?" I demanded.

"Someone in a position to kill your friend while you listen," the voice said coldly.

A knot formed in my stomach, and I swallowed. "What do you want?" I asked.

"You."

"What do you want with me?"

The voice on the other end of the line chuckled mirthlessly. "You're very special, Ms. Clearwater. We want to utilize your inherent gifts."

Her riddle grated on my nerves. "Who is 'we'?"

"You know, Ms. McTiernan is a very lovely young woman," the vampire (for I was sure it was one) said. "Don't you think it would be a shame for her to end up the same way that other sweet young lady did?"

My entire body went cold, and my suspicion that I was talking to the leech who had taken Sierra was confirmed. But the voice I was hearing was female, which meant that her killer-the one who had gotten her pregnant-was, as Edward Cullen had suspected, not alone. In the second or so that passed, I wondered if the woman who had forced Cailin to call me were the mastermind or the accomplice in all this.

"What do you want with me?" I repeated.

"You are to come to Seattle and meet me. Come alone," said the voice.

"Where?"

The vampire rattled off an address, then made me repeat it back to her. "Come alone, Ms. Clearwater," she said again. "If you bring any of your animal friends, you'll be signing your little blonde friend's death certificate, and your own. Don't come at all, and her body will be on your doorstep by morning."

Another confirmation: she and her male companion knew about the wolves. This explained why they thought I was "special"-because I was the only female. But what did they want with me?

Like that was hard to figure out, I scoffed silently. The male leech wanted to use me as he had used Sierra, as he had no doubt already used Cailin. Who in the world _was_ this guy, to think he could simply impregnate innocent girls and just cast them aside like an empty jar once he got what he wanted out of them?

An old memory bore its way to the forefront of my brain, and I nearly dropped the phone a second time. We were wrong, we were _so_ wrong.

Nevertheless, I could not stand by and do nothing. Cailin's life was in my hands now.

"I'll be there," I said, snapping the phone shut.


	19. Chapter 18

**18. Whispers in the Dark**

After closing my cell phone and dropping it back onto the floor, I stepped back under the showerhead, rinsing my hair as quickly as I could. Within a couple of minutes I was out of the shower with one towel around my hair and another around my body; I picked up my things and dashed across the hall to my room to dress.

I didn't stop to think about what I was about to do-I couldn't. If I did, I would feel fear and guilt and a myriad of other emotions that might well stop me from going, or would prompt me to call for help. I couldn't think, I couldn't feel. I could only act.

I dressed fast, throwing on jeans and a t-shirt over clean underwear, barely stopping to put socks on before I yanked on a pair of sneakers and then ran my hands through my wet hair. I grabbed my car keys and my cell phone mostly on instinct, shoving the latter in my pocket. As I was leaving my room, my eye caught on one of the few pictures I had of Leland and I. Cailin, I think, had been the one to take that picture of the two of us, his arms around me as we had fallen to the ground, laughing. My gaze was drawn immediately to Leland's face, that handsome face with the obsidian eyes that had ensnared me from the moment I looked into them. My heart lurched in my chest and I rushed out of my room, nearly slamming the door behind me.

In the hallway, I paused again. To my right lay my mother's room. Her door was closed and no light shown underneath, telling me she had gone to bed at last. To my left, across the hall, the door next to the bathroom stood slightly open, Seth's light snoring piercing me. After the day's long hours of fruitless pursuit, it was no wonder he had fallen asleep so quickly. I stepped gingerly across and nudged the door open a little further. Seth's bedroom window sash was up, as was his custom, a breeze ruffling the curtains. I looked down upon my brother's sleeping face and thought how young and innocent he looked in slumber.

Backing away, I quietly walked into the living room, where I looked around me, knowing in my heart that this was probably the last time I would see my home. I was leaving here to go into the lion's den willingly, fully aware that I was forfeiting my own life in the process. Logic told me that the vampires weren't likely to release Cailin even if I did show up alone as ordered, but if there was even the remotest chance of saving her from Sierra's terrible fate, then I had to take it. So what if it meant subjecting myself to the indignity of having my body violated for the purpose of creating some supposed super-race? If it meant saving Cailin, if it meant that I might just save some other poor girl from dying the way Sierra had, wasn't that worth it?

I was almost at the door before I realized I couldn't go without leaving some clue behind as to where I'd gone. Just because I wasn't allowed to bring anyone with me didn't mean they couldn't follow me, so I marched over to my mother's desk, grabbing a pad of paper and writing a note.

_I have not always been the best daughter, sister, friend, or lover, _I wrote (I considered omitting the last word, but after a moment's thought on my relationships with Leland and Sam, I knew it was fitting)_. For that, and for what I do now, I beg your forgiveness. Should I return, think better of me. Love always, Leah._

Underneath my name, I included the address that the female vampire had given me, though it was with only a faint hope that Seth or my mother would wake in time for it to be of any use to them or the wolves. Tears gathered behind my eyes as I laid down my pen. I blinked them furiously away, then turned and walked out of the house.

As I drove down the main street of the village, a sight ahead of me had me wondering what forces were out to get me, as I felt compelled once again to stop. Collin was walking down the sidewalk, his hands shoved in the pockets of his shorts, his direction seemingly aimless. Pulling up to the curb, I put on the brake and got out.

"Collin, what are you doing up at this hour?" I asked him over the top of my car.

When the kid looked at me, his expression was blank. It was as if he wasn't even there anymore, and that also pierced me with a sudden, sharp pain. Collin Littlesea had always been a really good kid, bright, eager to please… According to Seth, imprinting had changed him for the better, just like it had done for the other wolves. He had never been particularly irresponsible, but after meeting Sierra, he had become more responsible than ever. He took his duties as a member of Sam's pack very seriously, did what he could around home, around the village… He was a well brought-up kid made more of a man by meeting his soul mate.

But I saw neither the happy-go-lucky kid nor the responsible young man in those eyes-just the emptiness that had been left in the wake of Sierra's death.

"I could ask you that," Collin replied in a flat voice.

Normally, I would have made a quip remark about which of us was the adult. But it was neither the time nor the place for such glibness, and I was already behind schedule. Thinking about where I was supposed to be going right now, I made a sudden decision.

"Get in," I said.

"What for?"

I looked at him squarely. "How badly do you want revenge for Sierra's murder?" I asked him.

It was precisely the thing to say. A fire that had lain smoldering since the night before-since the night Sierra had disappeared-began to burn behind those broken, soulless eyes. Collin didn't ask me any questions. Perhaps he already knew the answers, or maybe he didn't care. He just reached for the passenger side door and threw himself into my car. Sliding back inside myself, I took off. I knew what I had just done was stupid. It was reckless. Collin was, as Leland had described him, a "loose cannon." Bringing an unstable young man into a situation as volatile as that into which I was heading was total lunacy. It bespoke of desperation. Of fear.

And hope. All it would take for Collin to go on the fight was one look at the leeches responsible for all the pain and misery he was in. One look, and he would go berserk, destroying everything between him and them, and he would not stop until he had the broken pieces of their bodies strewn around him. In a way, his unpredictability gave me an advantage over them. Plus, though they might suspect I would try to being help, they couldn't be sure.

I tried not to think about what else his presence could mean, such as instant death for Cailin. Or that I was condemning him to the same fate she and I were likely to suffer, which again was death. I could only hold onto the hope that his barely restrained desire for vengeance would actually work in our favor, however rarely such a thing happened.

At some point, Collin asked how I knew where to go. I explained how Cailin had been forced to call me, and how the vampire female had taunted me with threats against Embry's imprint if I didn't comply with her demands. I was supposed to go alone, I said, and when he asked why I had brought him along, why I had told him anything at all, I confessed that I had wanted to say it aloud to someone who I knew wouldn't try to stop me. He then asked what, if anything, I had told anyone else.

"I left a note," I said sourly.

Collin laughed without humor and said nothing more.

* * *

><p>I could feel my anxiety creeping up incrementally with each mile, and though I knew in my head precisely how long it took to drive from La Push to Seattle, silently I kept wondering what was taking so long. I was driving no less than five miles over the speed limit, sometimes more, in my effort to get there as quickly as I could (while still avoiding getting caught in some highway patrol speed trap). After our brief conversation, Collin had remained silent, staring out his window with a brooding expression, his right arm propped on the door with his chin in his hand, his left hand clenched in a fist on his thigh. I could only imagine what he must have been thinking.<p>

At long last we reached the Seattle city limits, and both of us sat up straighter. Though I'd been to the city a number of times, the address I'd been given was unfamiliar to me, and it took some time before I found it. It figured that I would be led to a neighborhood no sensible person would be caught outside in alone after dark. Collin cursed violently as I pulled into the parking lot of a gas station that was clearly abandoned.

"What the hell are we doing here?" he asked, reaching for the door and letting himself out of the car.

Though I knew he wasn't expecting a reply, I gave one anyway. "I have no idea," I said as I also got out. I looked around, sighting the station's mailbox; the address was still on it, which showed that we were at the right place. "There's no public phone here, at least not that I can see. They had to have made her call from somewhere else."

"But they were here," Collin said vehemently. "I can smell their stink."

I could smell it too, but still took another long draw though my nose, ignoring the burn. "Recently, too," I said. "Two of them-and it can't have been long ago. One of them was the same leech who was on the reservation. I hope they didn't think I wasn't coming."

I took a few steps away from the car, my hands on my hips and a frown on my face as I looked around, wondering why in the world the vampires had sent me here. I wondered how long ago they had left, and was just thinking that it couldn't have been more than a few minutes-a half hour at most-when I heard the most gut-wrenching crack behind me. I whirled and found myself looking upon the sight of a tall, black-haired bloodsucker with Collin's head in her hands, turned at an unnatural angle.

I felt my eyes go wide and my body begin to vibrate as the leech smiled at me and let Collin's lifeless body drop to the ground in front of her. She even wiggled her fingers at me as if to wave. The next thing I felt was not the ripples of my transformation but a sharp pain in my neck, just before my body went limp and my vision went dark.

My last conscious thought was: _Collin, I'm so sorry_.

* * *

><p>I had horrible dreams.<p>

They were brief, each one changing quickly into the next like a TV movie on disc changing from one segment to another. How they started and the events in each were different, but they always ended with the same conclusion: me hearing the crack of Collin's neck as it was broken. With me watching his body falling to the ground…

…with that vampire wiggling her fingers and smiling at me as if she'd just done something funny. Right when I thought I would leap at her across my car in wolf form, another dream would begin.

This went on for … well, I'm not really sure how long, but eventually, slowly, consciousness began to return. My head felt funny, like it had the one time I'd gotten drunk at a party Cassie and I had thrown at our apartment in Port Angeles. There was an incessant buzzing feeling, and as I tried to move it, I felt both my equilibrium and my stomach roll.

Obviously, I'd been ambushed by not one, but two vampires; the second, which I had not seen, had jabbed me in the neck with a needle and drugged me. I wondered where they had taken me. Was it the same place they were holding Cailin or was it a different one? If it was a different place, why?

I knew that I needed to wake up. It was the only way I was going to be able to think clearly, and maybe come up with a plan for getting myself and Cailin out of this mess. But it seemed like every time I tried to reach for consciousness, the drug in my system pushed me back down. It had to wear off eventually, though, didn't it? Despite the headache fighting it was giving me, I fought nonetheless, against the dizziness and the nausea and the pain, to help myself become more aware of my surroundings.

The first thing I noticed was that I was not alone. Reacting on instinct, I tried to phase, but I found that I couldn't-the damn drug was inhibiting the transformation process. But I did feel my body jerk rather violently, and a small, scared voice that I recognized cried out.

"Leah! Leah, it's me!"

I'd know that musical lilt anywhere, and as I finally opened my eyes to a dimly lit room, they found a nervous Cailin approaching me warily. I sent what I hoped was a reassuring smile at her, but even that somehow made my head hurt. When she knelt down next to me, I realized I was on some kind of cot.

"You sure are a sight for sore eyes, even in this pitiful light," she said, a small smile gracing her lips for a moment, before a frown took its place. "But at the same time, I wish you hadn't come."

"I had to come, you know that," I replied slowly, testing my ability to speak. Good, that didn't make me sick. Didn't make me feel much better, but at least it didn't make me feel any worse. I moved even slower as I made to sit up, because any movement of my head made my dark surroundings tilt haphazardly.

Cailin stood and helped me sit up so I could lean my head against the wall, at which point she joined me on the cot. "Wolves and their bloody foolish sense of honor," she muttered.

I looked at her sideways. "Cailin, they were threatening to kill you. I couldn't ignore that."

"And they promised to let me go when you'd arrived. I'm still here," the Irish girl said bitterly.

I was suddenly reminded of the fact that I hadn't I hadn't left home alone, and my hand flew to my mouth as I once again heard that stomach-turning crack in my head. I closed my eyes against the tears and guilt that welled up.

"Oh, God… what have I done?" I whispered.

Cailin put a hand on my shoulder. "They told me about killing someone you'd brought with you. Who was it?"

"Collin Littlesea. I feel so… Stupid and guilty couldn't begin to describe it. How could I have done that? How in the world could I have condemned that poor boy to death like that? Have I really no heart at all?"

"Leah, look at me."

Consumed with shame and guilt as I was, I didn't want to. But as I could feel her eyes on me, waiting, I finally turned my head.

"Leah, if you didn't have a heart, I daresay you wouldn't be here," Cailin said softly.

I couldn't smile my thanks, or even find the will to agree with her. I hated myself for bringing Collin to his death - his blood, metaphorically speaking, was on my hands.

"I shouldn't have done it," I said. "I was supposed to come alone, but I saw him on the street as I was leaving the village and I had the insane thought that all he had to do was get one look at them and he'd rip them apart, or die trying. I was an idiot to think that bringing him with me would be any kind of advantage. I as much as killed him myself."

"I remember what Collin looked like, what he'd turned into these last few weeks," my companion said. "I even saw him briefly yesterday, before I was kidnapped from the store. Collin was already dead on his feet. Sierra's death had already taken all the light from his eyes. Had you not brought him, had he not found some other way to exact his vengeance, I do not doubt that eventually he would have killed himself."

I knew she was right. I think we all knew that even if we destroyed the leeches who'd taken Sierra, Collin would never have been the same. Even had he the pleasure of ripping them to pieces and burning their worthless carcasses all on his own, there was always a chance of him going mad completely or committing suicide. Knowing this, however, did not lessen the burden of guilt I was sure I would carry for the rest of my life.

"H—how is Embry?" Cailin asked tentatively when I made no reply.

I opened my eyes and looked at her. "He misses you. He's desperate to find you. Even managed to knock a couple of the Cullens to the ground when he heard the news."

"The vegetarian vampires?"

I nodded carefully, as my head was still fuzzy. "It was after the strategy meeting. I assume he told you about that?"

"He did. Embry said the Alphas and their lieutenants were meeting with the Cullens because there was a chance that the Volturi were striking at them by first striking at their allies, which in this case are the wolves."

"That's right. Jacob's father showed up to deliver the news that you'd been taken, as Henry and the rest of Jacob's boys were already on the hunt for the kidnapper," I told her. "When Jacob relayed what Billy told him, Embry phased. He'd been standing in the middle of the group and several of us tripped trying to get away from him, but it was Edward, Alice and I who actually fell."

"Oh, Embry," Cailin said, closing her eyes and muttering in Gaelic.

"Except we were wrong about the Volturi," I went on. "At least I think we are."

Cailin opened her eyes. "What do you mean?"

I told her about my suspicion that the person responsible for what had happened to Sierra and what was happening to us was in fact a Chilean vampire by the name of Joham. He had fathered three daughters and a son that I knew of, by impregnating human women and allowing them to die in childbirth.

"It's what happened to Sierra," I finished quietly.

"So that's where she came from."

My eyes popped open, my mental voice saying, _Sierra had a daughter?_ "She?"

Cailin nodded. "Aye. A wee tiny babe what looks to be a month or so old. They uh … brought her in to feed on me once, when I first got here. But they wouldn't let her drink too much because their father had plans for me. That's what they told her: '_Papi_ has plans for this one.' I thought they'd created a vampire baby, but then I wondered why they would, because I remembered Embry telling me vampires aren't allowed to do that."

"They're not," I said bitterly. "But apparently there's nothing stopping them from using any innocent young woman as a frickin' incubator."

I had to wonder yet again how this could have happened. If memory served, the Volturi were supposed to have hunted down Nahuel's father because he was trying to create a "superior" species. Why wasn't Joham dead? Could he really have been evading the Volturi trackers for three years?

Of course, another, even more terrifying thought just _had_ to occur to me: What if he was working _for_ them? What if he had been caught and had somehow convinced them to let him live if he continued his plans in their name? Would that mean that he was simply acting on orders to create more hybrids? Were there more of them in other cities, other countries? Could it mean that the hybrids were a part of some grand scheme to take down the Cullens and their allies after all? If they had somehow found out about Alice Cullen's inability to see hybrids with her foresight, it was, as Jasper had said, a brilliant military strategy. In that worse-case scenario, a hybrid army would be a better thing to have on their side than Jane.

And I could just imagine the commanding trio waiting patiently for the children to grow up so that they could make their move, seemingly out of the blue.

I growled, wishing I could share this line of thought with Jacob and the others. But I knew without even checking that my cell phone had been confiscated. I was in a dark room (locked in, I was sure) in a nameless building in who knew what city (as they could easily have driven or carried me out of Seattle), with no way to call for help. I wished the drug that had put me to sleep would hurry up and work its way out of my system, because at least then I could change form long enough to use the mental link.

I hoped and prayed that Seth or Mom would wake up and find my note. Or … or that the Seattle police would find Collin's body at that abandoned gas station, and that he had his I.D. on him. They would use that to notify his next of kin, and through his parents, the packs would find out about me.

Thinking about the note and about Collin had me turning to my Irish friend with a new question on my mind. "How long have I been here?" I asked.

Cailin cocked her head to the side in thought. "Well, you know it takes about ninety minutes at the speed limit to get to Seattle from La Push," she said, "And you were asleep about three hours after they brought you here. I'm guessing that means about five hours, give or take, have passed since they made me call you."

"So we're still in Seattle?"

"I think so, yes."

I pondered that for a moment. "Cailin, who told them about the wolves? How did they know I was special?"

"I think it was Sierra," she said, and I could tell she didn't like speaking ill of Collin's mate. "At least, I assume it was her. It's either that or they somehow heard about you by some other means, as they never asked me any questions. At first I thought I was here by mistake, because from what little I heard, they kept talking about 'the female.' I guessed that was you when they made me call you."

_By some other means_. I rolled Cailin's words over in my head, considering it further evidence that Joham was working for the Volturi. Then again, I suddenly realized, it didn't even have to be Joham who was behind this. The Volturi could have captured and killed him after they left Forks two years ago, and had simply assigned someone on their guard the nefarious task of impregnating the human females they captured.

"I've been wondering something," Cailin said. "You remember how Kim said that she was thinking of the last time she saw Leland and his grandfather when she got the idea about getting married that night?"

I nodded. "What about it?"

"Well, since I've been here, I couldn't help but wonder if it was a warning. Like somehow his spirit influenced her so that they would be out of town when the vampires struck again, and thus safe from harm," she explained.

I shrugged. "Who knows? Either way, Kim is safe. And I'm glad for it. I just wish … I wish you hadn't been dragged into this. I wish Sierra hadn't died. I wish Collin hadn't…"

Unable to stop them now, tears fell silently from my eyes. I had been selfish, cowardly, and now utterly foolish. I was also frustrated and confused and frightened, and I missed Leland so terribly that my chest hurt.

"It won't be so bad, you know."

I stopped in the midst of my self-derision when Cailin spoke. "What do you mean?" I asked.

She looked away from me. "Certainly it's still rape by any definition of the word," she said slowly.

I grabbed her arm. "Cailin, please don't tell me…"

She turned to face me again, though her eyes still didn't quite meet mine. "For someone who was using the threat of death to force me to consent to his … well, he was almost gentle about it. Mechanical, really, like he was just going through the motions. I didn't matter to him at all."

I couldn't help myself. I reached forward and wrapped my arms around her, whispering how sorry I was in her ear. In typical Leah fashion, I had been too wrapped up in my own feelings to even think about what she had already been through. Joham had already abused her in more ways than I could imagine, forcing himself on her in the hope that she would conceive another offspring. Somehow it seemed worse to me that he had been gentle with her.

I pulled back and wiped at my eyes. "Cailin, I'm so sorry," I said again. "Here I've been going on and on about me, and you've been suffering."

"I'm alright," she said. "I'll be alright, at any rate. Knowing that Embry loves me is what keeps me going-that and the hope that I'm going to get to see him again. Besides, there's always that chance that it didn't work, and I won't have to die giving birth to my rapist's child."

"Let's hope so," I said. "Although I'm scared now what he may do when he finds out it won't be as easy for him to get me pregnant as he'd like."

"But it's been four months since you last phased, hasn't it? I thought you said your body was starting to return to its normal cycle."

I shook my head. "Actually, it's been about six or seven hours. I phased after we heard the news about you to help look for you. For all the good that it did. Doing that even once has probably reset my body to what it was before I stopped, which means I'm basically infertile right now."

"Oh my," Cailin whispered. "No, I don't think he'll be happy about that at all. I just hope he doesn't let the girls hurt you because of it."

"Speaking of them… how many are there? How many vampires total?" I asked.

"Three that I know of," she replied. "The man you think is this Joham, and two females. Both of the females have a special ability, like some of the Cullens do."

"Really? Do you have any idea what these powers are?" I wondered, curious in spite of the situation.

"They haven't said, but I think I've figured it out on what little I have overheard," Cailin told me. "The taller of the two, if I heard right, has the ability to make you think things that aren't true. Some sort of confusion gift. I heard her saying something about having fooled the yellow-eyes that were at the factory."

"Edward, Jasper, and Emmett found an abandoned factory earlier. Said it appeared to be the place Sierra's baby was born, and that they smelled two vampires inside, though they didn't see them there and couldn't figure out where they had gone, because the scent trail outside was weaker than inside," I explained.

"They were still there, the two girls anyway," Cailin said. "She has to be within a certain range for her gift to work, from what I gathered. They didn't see her or her sister because she had convinced them no one was there."

"How come all the bad vampires have these kinds of gifts?" I mused aloud, before recalling that there was an Amazonian female vampire who had an illusionary ability, and even though she fed on humans, she wasn't one of the bad guys. She'd been one of the Cullen witnesses. "What about the other one? You said you think she has a gift too?"

Cailin nodded. "She had touched me before Joham… he actually did tell me, now that I recall, that his 'little girl' would help me feel better. And I do remember feeling kind of apathetic while it was happening, almost like I didn't care. Before she touched me and after I came back here, I was horrified and scared and sick. I think she can influence emotions like Jasper does, but she has to touch you to do it. And it doesn't last for long."

I looked at Embry's mate with more respect than I'd ever felt for her before. If she had gathered this much information from just a few bits of overheard speech, then she was one of the most observant human beings I'd ever met. Charlie Swan would probably love to have her on his police force. She'd managed to figure out things neither the packs nor the Cullens knew, incredibly valuable information.

I realized then that I was feeling much better than I had when I first woke up. I looked at Cailin. "I'm going to try to phase again. Do you want me to try and break us out of here if I can?"

"Of course I do, but Leah, you'll never win against three vampires, not by yourself," she replied. "I don't doubt that you can break the door down even though it's locked, but they're probably keeping an eye on it just the same. Kidnappers usually do. Hell, for all we know, they're listening to us."

"I know, but I can't not try, now that it feels like that sedative or whatever that they drugged me with has worn off." I stood slowly, making sure that my body didn't betray me. I still felt a little unsteady, but just thinking about becoming the wolf had the fire singing through my blood. I felt like I could do it this time, and I meant to.

I looked down at Cailin. "If you're too afraid to follow me, I'll understand. I don't want to risk any more lives other than my own. I've already one too many deaths on my conscience."

Cailin looked up at me solemnly, then stood. "Let's get the bloody hell out of here," she said.

I nodded once and quickly doffed my shirt and jeans. If I couldn't break through the door, at least I would still have something to wear. Stepping away from Cailin wearing nothing but my bra and panties, I allowed the fire in my veins the control it desired, and though the change happened more slowly than it normally would, due to the trace of drug still in my system, in another moment I had gone from woman to wolf.

My wolf form, though smaller than the males, was still impressive, I've been told. I'm large enough that you can tell I'm most definitely not a normal wolf, and in the confines of that dark little room, I barely left enough room for Cailin to stand. I turned my head to her to find that her eyes had gone wide. But she didn't look afraid of me; more like she was impressed. Or amazed. I nodded toward the door to indicate that I was going to check it out, then padded over the few steps it took me to get there.

One of the things becoming a wolf does is heighten our senses, most particularly hearing, smell, and sight. I put an ear to the door much as any human would and listened for movement or voices on the other side. I heard nothing, so I sniffed. The only scent of vampire I got was on our side of the door and it was fading, so it had been some time indeed since they had brought me here. I then took a good look at the door, studying it. It was made of steel, and was probably thick. Whether that was because the vampires thought it would be more difficult for us to break out or this was simply a convenient holding cell, I couldn't begin to guess-didn't really care, either, as long as I could break it open.

Stepping backward as far as I could, I charged the door, throwing all my weight against it. The resulting boom echoed in the small room, and no doubt had hurt Cailin's ears. Had probably drawn the attention of our captors as well, but it was a risk we'd both agreed to take. I stepped back and charged again, repeating the action a third and fourth time before I heard the hinges on the door snap. The metal door now sat in its frame at an odd angle, and I could see some light around the upper left corner. I reared up and laid my front paws against the door, pushing with all the force I could muster, and after another long moment, it finally gave and moved outward, still stuck to the frame by the locking mechanism. There wasn't enough room for me to get through in my wolf form, but there was enough room for a person to squeeze through sideways. I was going to have to take another risk-the few precious seconds it would take for me to change back and put my clothes back on.

I backed into the room as I commanded my body to change forms again. This time the action wasn't sluggish at all, and I turned for the cot with zero thought for modesty-I just wanted to get my shirt and jeans on so we could get the hell out of there, and had donned the clothes and my sneakers (my socks had been destroyed along with my underwear) in record time.


	20. Chapter 19

**19. Profound Words to Die By**

Precious seconds passed while I put my clothes back on, but I wasted no time in racing to the broken door, listening and sniffing for sounds or smells on the other side. I heard nothing, but now that the door had been busted out of the frame, I could smell the scent of vampire beyond it. It concerned me, in that they could be watching, waiting to strike as soon as we appeared.

But again, it was a risk we had agreed to take.

I put a finger to my lips as I glanced back at Cailin to indicate she should stay quiet and she nodded, then I motioned for her to follow. Careful to avoid the sharp metal spikes of the broken bottom hinge, I slipped myself through the narrow opening, my eyes darting left and right for any sign of our captors. I didn't see anyone, but given what Cailin had told me about the tall female's suspected ability, that didn't mean anything.

Cailin came through the opening, looking around as I was, and we slowly made our way forward. The room we'd been held in was at the end of a long L-shaped hallway, dimly lit by overhead lanterns whose bulbs had seen brighter days. There were pipes of varying thickness along the walls and ceiling, making me think we were in some kind of basement. Mirthless laughter bubbled into my throat as I wondered if they had been brazen enough to return to the factory the Cullen boys had discovered. I'd heard in a movie (I think it was a movie) the words, "You are either very brave or very stupid." In my experience, vampires without a conscience considered themselves the former, but were most often the latter. I would not put it past our captors to have hidden us in relatively plain sight in spite of the fact that the police had been notified about the building where Sierra had died, laughing among themselves at their cleverness.

It smelled like mold down there, the walls seemed coated with film, and I could hear water dripping. I tried to ignore these things and concentrate on scenting and listening, because even if we were being watched, I did not want the vampires to jump out and catch us unawares. I wanted the few precious seconds it would take to phase, that I might be able to hold the vampires at bay and allow Cailin the opportunity to escape.

We could go either straight or right. At the right end of the hall, there was another straightaway that paralleled the one we were facing, which meant our L was actually a U. At the straight end of the hallway was a set of stairs leading up to another door. I gestured toward the stairs before us and whispered to Cailin, "Do you remember this? I mean, have you always been in this building?"

In my peripheral vision, I saw her nod. "Aye," she said. "I was taken up them stairs to 'im. Not even the decency to use a bed to defile me-'twas on a ratty couch in one of the offices."

Her tone was unquestionably and understandably bitter. For a moment, I wished she could have been a wolf, that she might have the pleasure of exacting revenge on her tormentor herself. I know it's what I would want to do-kill him myself. Did that make me as bloodthirsty a monster as they were? Perhaps. But I didn't care.

Taking a breath, I muttered, "Here goes," and started down the hall.

Upon reaching the stairs we climbed up to the door. I slowly pressed the bar handle and felt it give-the door was not locked. My heart sped up it's already marathon pace, but still I continued my quest to get us out, pushing on the door and hoping it didn't have rusty hinges.

Wouldn't have surprised me if it did.

Though it groaned and squealed slightly, thankfully there was not much noise as I opened the heavy metal door further, peeking my head around it and checking for signs of the vampires. My nose burned with the strength of the smell, telling me that they were definitely up here somewhere. As quietly as I could, I pushed the door open only far enough to get through, then held it for Cailin, easing it back into place as she joined me.

Then I took a good look around. It was definitely a factory of some kind, and abandoned by the looks of the equipment, covered in dust and cobwebs, and the dank, stale smell of the air. "I don't suppose you recall where the door is?" I asked Cailin.

"That way," she pointed, indicating we should go left. "I think."

Well, it was as good a guess as any, I supposed, and began to make my way across the cavernous room. Skirting equipment the purpose of which I could not have guessed, Cailin and I walked as quickly and quietly as we could, and on the far wall I could finally see a door with an unlit Exit sign over it. After another few minutes we were but seconds from ending this nightmare, and as I reached for the handle, thanking our lucky stars that the vampires who held us had apparently not heard our escape, every light in the place blazed to life…

…and two of the three adult vampires appeared right behind us.

Cailin and I whirled, and my friend could not help emitting a squeal of fright. I took a deep breath and stepped in front of her, shielding her as I regarded them, the female of the two-the tall one I had seen before-wiggling her fingers and smiling at me as she had right after killing Collin.

I growled, feeling my body vibrate, but my attention was diverted by the male, who said with a heavy Hispanic accent, "Come now my dear, let us not resort to violence. This does not need to be unpleasant."

I looked at him, fire in my eyes and hatred in my blood. "Tell that to Sierra Bivens and Collin Littlesea, you murdering leech. Tell that to their families. Tell that to my friend here."

"The boy's death is on you," said the female. "You were told to come alone."

I would not let myself think about how much she was right-had I not stopped for him, Collin would still be alive.

On instinct I took a step toward her, a vision of my hands tearing out her throat flashing before my eyes. She hissed and stepped back, raising her hands like claws.

"Serena!" snapped the male.

"Leah, don't," pleaded Cailin.

I forced myself to stop my advance and turned to the male vampire. "You're Joham." It was not a question.

He smiled. "I am. You have heard of me? I am impressed."

"Your filthy reputation preceded you by almost three years, bloodsucker," I spat.

The one called Serena spun toward him. "This mangy dog insults you, Father! Let me kill her and rid us of her stench!"

"Aren't you the pot calling the kettle black, tick?" I snarled.

She raised her arm to strike me, but Joham moved almost too fast for me to follow, and snagged her arm before it could come close enough to cause any damage. She tried to pull her arm free of his grasp and he tightened it.

"I will not have you disobey me, child," he told her, his voice mild but his intent clearly not.

Serena's eyes blazed with her fury, but she nodded acquiescence and Joham let her go. When she looked at me I had no doubt that she was thinking of how many ways she wished to kill me. It almost made me smile to think of how her daddy had just put her in her place in front of the "mangy dog."

"Now, ladies, if you would please step away from the door," said Joham.

I did not want to step away from the door-I wanted to step _through_ the door. I wanted to get Cailin out of here and back to Embry's side, where she belonged. I was weighing my chances against the two vampires when I felt Cailin's hand on my arm. I turned my head to look at her, finding her eyes wide with fear and her heart-shaped mouth pressed together in a thin line. She shook her head minutely, and I knew that, right then, it was time to surrender.

We were not going to escape after all.

Had they actually released Cailin as I'd been told they would, and I was there alone, I wouldn't have hesitated to shift even if it meant a fight to the death. But I wasn't alone, and I was not about to risk putting her in any more danger. Fighting them would surely get us both killed, but if I surrendered peacefully, I might at least get her out.

I looked back at Joham and Serena. "I want her released. I was told that if I came, you would let her go."

"If you came _alone_, as instructed, animal," Serena sneered. "Her continued presence as our guest is also your doing. Had you behaved like a good dog - "

"Enough, Serena," Joham said, actually looking exasperated with his daughter. Then he turned his attention to me. "The lovely Irish lass may be with child. I cannot release her if she will soon bear my offspring."

"Tired of all the girls yet? Still hoping for a son who actually acknowledges you?" I needled.

Joham's expression darkened. "I have no son. Yet," he replied stonily.

_Interesting_, I thought. He was actually disavowing his only son because Nahuel wanted nothing to do with him. I could almost forgive the hybrid vampire his human blood diet just for ticking this guy off.

"Too bad, though I could swear this guy I know looks just like you."

I probably should have kept my mouth shut. Joham's hand darted out and grabbed my arm in a painfully tight grasp. I sucked a breath through clenched teeth as he started to pull me away from the door. Serena smiled triumphantly as I passed her, and I saw her reach for Cailin.

"You hurt her, tick, and I swear I will kill you," I growled.

"Serena, take her to Jennifer," said Joham as he dragged me through the factory toward a set of metal stairs that led up to a second story office. "She can feed Sierra."

He stopped long enough to look over his shoulder. "But remember, my dear-not too much. She may yet bear you a new sibling. Perhaps I shall have her again after I have had this one."

I was stunned to hear him refer to Sierra's daughter by her mother's name, but more so to hear him talk of raping us so casually, that I almost missed Cailin's whimper of fear. Oh, how I wanted to fight-to phase into my wolf and tear him into tiny bits of marble, to grind him into dust because of that one, small, frightened sound. I'd wanted to fight and kill vampires before, when that red-headed leech had created her army, but until that moment, I don't think I'd really understood what bloodlust was. But I knew my veins were on fire with it.

"Not going to have your other girl suck away my emotions?" I said then, testing him to see if he would confirm or deny what Cailin had suspected.

He shot me a surprised look as we reached the stairs, then smiled. "Jennifer's gift has its uses-"

"Jennifer is weak," I heard Serena mutter, even from where we stood, as she pulled Cailin through a door leading to what looked like another office, this one on the first floor.

Joham frowned, then looked at me and continued. "However, I have always preferred to enjoy a woman who has spirit. You, my dear, have it in spades."

He started dragging me up the rusty metal stairs, and I couldn't resist needling him some more, hoping that it would buy me some time. "Let me ask you something, bloodsucker. Are you losing your touch or something? I mean, the way I heard tell it, your usual M.O. was to woo a lady before you used her up and then threw her away like yesterday's take-out. Have you really lost so much of your mojo that you've had to resort to kidnapping young girls? Does fear turn you on?"

This time, I definitely should have kept my mouth shut. As soon as he'd pulled me up on the landing, Joham back-handed me across the mouth, and I tasted blood as a couple of my teeth came loose. I felt my body begin to vibrate, my muscles rippling in response to the violence. God, if one strike was enough to call the wolf, what would happen if he got far enough to violate me? Could I let him have me just for the sake of saving my life?

I knew I couldn't just to save my own life. But I would have to if it meant saving Cailin's.

Joham jerked on my arm and started toward the open door of the upstairs office. For the first time that night, real fear pierced me. I was afraid, afraid that I was going to have to do this, to let this … this _thing_ … touch my body with his ice cube hands in ways that I dared not imagine. I was quite possibly going to _have_ to let him take advantage of me, because it might be the only way to save Cailin.

But even if I could go through with it, he was going to hurt her again, and if she did conceive, he was going to stand back and do nothing as she died to give life to another of his demon children.

"It's not going to work, you know," I said somewhat desperately as I was pulled into the office, and my eyes fell on the same ratty couch on which he had tortured Cailin. "I've phased twice in the last day-it's how we got out of the room in the basement. Shapeshifting stops my biological clock. I'm not going to get pregnant."

Joham looked at me with narrowed eyes, then leaned close and inhaled deeply through his nose. His nearness made the stink pouring off him overwhelmingly potent, and my stomach gave a mighty heave. As I swallowed my revulsion down his lips curled in anger, but as he straightened he smiled.

"So you have," he said. "It only means that I shall get to play with you longer."

"I will phase every single day until my brothers track you down and tear you apart," I snarled.

The vampire's smile fell, and his mouth set in a firm line. "Become a wolf even once, and I will spend one hour with the pretty Irish girl for every minute you spend in that form."

I felt my eyes widen in horror, for I could see in his blood-red eyes that he meant every single word.

Reaching behind me, Joham slammed the door shut, then jerked me again and threw me toward the couch. I stumbled, tripping over a torn rug still covering part of the floor, but managed to stay on my feet. Just as I was spinning to face him, Joham was in front of me. He reached forward faster than I could move (and I'm pretty fast, don't forget) and pinned my arms to my sides, then pulled me roughly to him.

I squeezed my eyes shut as he pressed his chilly lips forcefully against mine, feeling bile rise in my throat. My stomach heaved again; I could feel my limbs trembling with the feverish desire to phase. And I knew the moment he tried to force my lips apart with his tongue that I was never going to be able to do this. I just couldn't. It went against every instinct I had to let this go any further.

It meant I was going to have to fight him. I was going to have to fight a vampire that was probably older than Carlisle and pray that I won, that I killed him before his daughters could come to his defense, that I was not too spent to take them on as well.

And pray that they did not kill Cailin before they came running.

I'd been wanting to phase since the vampires had discovered our attempt to escape yet had somehow maintained control, but with bodily harm imminent I had but to think of my wolf and suddenly she was there. Joham was thrown across the room as I phased, his body crashing into the wall and punching a man-sized hole in the peeling plaster. I stepped back, crouching low with my hackles raised, a snarl in my throat as he stood and shook chunks of sheetrock off of him. His expression was livid as he stared back at me.

In the blink of an eye, he lunged for me. I leapt and met him halfway, and we crashed together in the middle of the office. I'd aimed my claws for his face and missed, enabling him to get a good grip on the fur around my neck. He pulled hard enough to tear some out, and I felt blood trickle from the wounds. Howling, I turned my head and tried for his throat, hoping to get his head in my jaws so I could rip it off. Joham jerked away from me, taking more of my fur with him.

I turned around and leapt for him again. Unfortunately Joham was ready for me, and instead of grabbing my fur, he grabbed my ears. As I was wrapping my forelegs around him, intending to squeeze with all my might, he yanked my head back, exposing my throat. I snapped my jaws frantically as he moved in and bit down.

I howled again as an agonizing pain began to burn through my blood-I'd just been poisoned by his venom. I thought then that Joham intended to tear my throat out, but instead he reared his head back and bit down again. My howling became one long, wolfish scream.

My grip on his ribcage loosened; Joham released me and I began falling to the floor. Through the haze my vision had suddenly become, I vaguely registered Serena's entrance. My body felt numb, and in the fog that was crowding into my brain, I wondered how that was possible given the excruciating pain I was in. I found that I wasn't even screaming anymore-at least, not as a wolf. My wolf form had retreated, and I was left lying on the filthy floor in naught but my skin.

I looked up at the two vampires as I writhed in pain, then closed my eyes to shut out their gleeful expressions. Especially Joham's. I wasn't a wolf anymore and I couldn't put up a fight - and now there wasn't a stitch of clothing between us except for his own.

_It doesn't matter anymore_, I somehow managed to think. _It won't matter if he forces himself on me all night - I'll be dead in a few hours_. _If it even takes that long_.

I almost wished Jennifer was here to suck my emotions away. At least if I was apathetic, I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything at all, let alone the searing agony wracking my body, or the fact that I had been rendered completely helpless by his bite. My heart felt like it would burst through my chest, it was beating so fast. Ironically, I knew that its frantic pace was only serving to help the poison along.

I continued screaming, as loud and as long as I could, until my voice was gone and my throat was raw. Why was he just standing there? Why didn't he go through with his disgusting plan and get it over with? Was he waiting for me to stop thrashing about? Did he want me as limp and compliant as a dead fish?

The dead part, at least, I knew he would get. I could feel myself fading from consciousness, and thought for sure I was dying. I expected my life to flash before my eyes any moment, as I had often heard would happen at the end, and I hoped fervently that the reel would skip my "evil twin" period. Who'd want to live through _that_ again?

Suddenly I saw my father's face in my mind, and I remembered a line from the movie _Little Women_, which Beth spoke to Jo just before she passed away: "I am not afraid-I can be brave like you." Only I heard those words in my own voice, and I was speaking to my father, who smiled serenely and nodded. I guess that was true. I wasn't really afraid to die…

I just didn't want to.

My mother, Seth, and Leland flashed across my mind's eye next, and to them I heard my voice say the next line Beth March had spoken to her sister: "Though I know I will be homesick for you, even in Heaven." Yeah, that was definitely true. Sorry, God, but they mean so much to me I'm pretty sure I'm gonna miss them, even in Paradise.

I thought of Sam and Emily, and of Jacob and the boys in the packs. I saw their faces, and the words I said to them were Théoden's, from the third _Lord of the Rings_ film: "My body is broken…you have to let me go. I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed." I knew that was true, too-I had no reason to be ashamed of meeting my father and my ancestors in death, for at the last I had made peace with all of who and what I was, and I had fought bravely for my life.

I thought of Sierra Bivens and Collin Littlesea, two young kids who were dead now because they'd both been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Cailin came to me next, and I saw her face above me as though she were really there. I prayed with what I had left that Joham and his daughters did not harm her because I had fought back, and as I prayed, a Bible verse I had not heard since I was a child came to me. Somehow I managed to recall that it was from the Book of John, chapter 15, verse 13: "Greater love hath no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends." I'd done that, too. I'd come to Seattle with the hope of saving Cailin even though I had known that most likely, we would both end up dying. I only hoped that I was wrong about it being both of us.

As I felt the final darkness begin to close around me, something Paul had said as we charged into the battle with the newborn army popped into my head. I believe it was a Klingon saying from _Star Trek_, and I remembered that they were warriors, and as I had died fighting, the words were profoundly apropos:

"Today is a good day to die."

* * *

><p>And then, strangely, I heard voices, voices that could not be real, as the visions I had just had were not real-because I was dead.<p>

First, I heard my beloved. "Do something!"

"What would you have me do, Leland?" That was Dr. Fang.

"Something! Anything! Please, you have to save her - she's dying!"

Leland again. But he was wrong. I wasn't dying, I was already dead.

"Oh no! Carlisle, she's not breathing!" Cailin's voice, sounding strangely close. I sensed she was moving now, but I couldn't tell what she was doing.

"Leah, no! Baby, don't give up now! Don't leave me, please!" Leland sounded like he was crying now. He sounded desperate and hopeless. Well, that was understandable. I was dead. Only I hadn't given up, I'd been poisoned.

"Carlisle, what about drawing the venom out, as I did with Bella?" Whoa, nosy Edward was there, too?

"Hey, Wolf Girl, snap out of it! I haven't finished converting you into a leech-lover yet!"

_Heh, now that was funny, Emmett_. I wished I could tell him that. I suddenly wished very much that I could tell Emmett Cullen just how much I had come to like him.

"Even if we draw it out, she may still leave us." Carlisle once more, sounding grim.

"But she'll have a chance, won't she? If you can bite her and suck the poison out, without poisoning her yourselves, won't that give her a chance?" Leland, actually sounding hopeful this time.

I heard Carlisle sigh - did vampires really sigh? - and then he said, "It might. In truth, it is the only chance she has."

"Well you'd better do something quick," said Cailin's voice again, sounding more alarmed than she had a moment ago. "Her heart just stopped."

* * *

><p>I was not really dead, of course, but I didn't know it at the time. The bits and pieces of conversation I heard over the next few days ranged from hopeful, to worried, to desperate, and back again. Most of the time, the voices were my mother's, Leland's, Seth's - I heard Carlisle a number of times. I remember thinking that it was an odd way to pass into the afterlife, to be hearing other people's conversations, because eavesdropping was just plain rude. Surely that wouldn't look good as St. Peter was reading the record of my life to God.<p>

One conversation in particular still disturbs me a little, and just thinking about it makes me shudder. Jacob and Edward were the voices I heard, and though I know now that they were talking about me, I didn't quite understand what they meant at the time.

They'd been talking quietly for a while, and then suddenly Jacob chuckled.

"What amuses you, Jacob?" Edward asked him.

"She'd probably kill me if she heard me say this, but Leah has more in common with Bella than she realizes," Jacob replied.

"I agree - she probably would want to kill you if she heard you say such a thing. It is no secret that Leah does not care for Bella, however much this pains me. Even Bella wishes it were not so," his future father-in-law said. "But please, explain what you mean."

Jacob chuckled again. "Think about it, man. She left out of here late at night to save somebody, leaving only a note. Bella did that for you once. She also met up with a dangerous vampire believing she was saving somebody's life by giving up her own. Bella did that, too."

Edward was silent for a long moment, so long that I began to think he wasn't going to reply, and that I would be moving on to hearing someone else's conversation. When at last he responded, there was a touch of amusement in his voice.

"Yes, I see now. Those were very Bella moments."

* * *

><p>A blindingly bright light had me squinting my eyes, and they weren't even open.<p>

Wait, squinting? Did dead people squint?

Somebody chuckled. "She'll be coming around soon," said Edward's voice.

Who would be coming around? Was this my funeral? _Possibly_, I thought. It was still the first week of July, and the weather, though it might be overcast, would still be warm, but hopefully not too hot. I thought an outdoor funeral might actually be nice.

A full-blown laugh sounded, and I believe it was Edward again. What the hell was he laughing at? A funeral was no joking matter.

Whatever he thought was so bloody funny made him laugh a second time.

"What is so funny?" Ooh, that was Leland! I was glad to hear _his_ voice again. It was nice to hear him even though I would never see him again.

"Leah's thoughts are beginning to surface from unconsciousness. First she wondered if the dead can squint. She is now wondering if she's at her own funeral, and thinks that an outdoor funeral would be nice. Also, that a funeral is no joking matter," said Edward, amusement still in his voice. Although, when next I heard it, it was more serious. "She is also glad to hear your voice, though she believes she will never see you again."

"Does that mean she can hear you-that she can hear us?" Leland sounded excited, hopeful - a far cry from the desperation and hopelessness I had heard before. It made me feel so much better that he was not in so much pain anymore.

How I wished I was the reason he was feeling better.

"You are the reason he is feeling better."

Whoa, wait a minute… Was the nosy tick hearing the dead now?

Edward chuckled yet again. "Hardly, Leah. Though if that does happen, I've no doubt they'll probably think I'm just as nosy as you do."

"Leah! Leah, honey, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes for me?"

_I'm sorry, Leland. I want to, but I can't. I'm dead_.

"Leah Clearwater, you are not dead," Edward said. Rather sternly, in fact. "You just have to wake up."

"Come on, baby, please… open your eyes," Leland's voice pleaded. "Come back to me, Leah. Open your eyes."

"Be patient, son," said Carlisle. "If Edward is hearing her thoughts, she will come to soon."

Son? Leland was letting Carlisle Cullen, bloodsucker patriarch, call him son?

Then again, Carlisle called every young man he came into contact with 'son.' I think I'd even heard him say that to Sam.

Someone moaned. Who was that?

"That was you, Leah." Edward-again.

Leland gave a small cry. "Come on, honey. You can do it. Come back to me."

"I'll go get Sue and Seth," said Carlisle softly, and I heard him leave.

Leave? How could I hear him leave? Why was I hearing anyone - or anything - at all? I thought I was dead?

"Once again, Leah, you are not dead. You were poisoned with vampire venom, but we managed to draw it all out and get your heart beating again. You've been unconscious for nearly a week."

I'd survived? Joham hadn't killed me after all? I really wasn't dead?

"Talk to her some more, Leland. She's obviously not listening to me," Edward went on, once again sounding amused.

"Leah Faith Clearwater, you open your eyes right this minute," said Leland. "You and I have an appointment on First Beach exactly ten months and twenty-four days from now. Time to start planning the party."

"What's happening next June?" asked Edward.

"We're…get…getting…married."

That was me! I _was_ alive!

Slowly, squinting against the painfully blinding light, I opened my eyes. The first person I saw, thankfully, was not Edward Cullen.

It was an angel with dark copper skin, ebony hair, and obsidian eyes.

"Dark have been…my dreams of late," I said, my throat feeling hoarse and dry. "Really thought…I died."

"You just quoted Tolkien," Edward mused. "Interesting - though I'm certain appropriate - choice of words."

I guess I had, hadn't I? In fact, I'd quoted Tolkien once before, during those dark dreams. But I didn't want to think about that. All I cared about right then was that the most beautiful man in the world had just given me the most feather-light kiss, and that I saw tears in his eyes when he sat back, holding my hand to his cheek.

"Don't."

"Don't what, baby?"

"Cry."

That, of course, made him cry more. "I thought I had lost you-even thought I might have to die, too. I just couldn't imagine living one day without you."

A pale white hand, which glistened like the ocean at midday when it passed through a stream of sunlight, came to rest on Leland's shoulder.

Just then, my mother came bursting into the room-I'd noticed I was at home, safe and warm, tucked under a blanket in my very own bed. I offered her the best smile I could muster.

"Leah! Thank God you're awake!"

She rushed over to me and knelt on the floor by my bed, taking my other hand in hers and holding it to her cheek much as Leland had done. She was also crying, like he was. Relief such as I had never seen before was written all over her face.

"Okay now…Mama," I said weakly. "Where's…Seth?"

My mother's face sobered quickly, and she glanced at Leland and Edward across the bed. I felt myself frown.

"What's…going on? What hap…happened?" Turing my head slightly, I tried to encompass all three of them in my gaze. "Where is Seth?"

Mom looked at me, her expression very serious. "Don't worry, honey. He's okay," she said slowly.

"What happened?" I asked again.

She glanced at Leland again, then back to me. "I think we'd better let him tell you."


	21. Chapter 20

**20. What Happened, According to Seth**

My mother's expression worried me in spite of her words. My eyes flicked between her and Leland.

"What aren't…you telling me?" I asked.

Mom stood, kissing the back of my hand again before she laid it gently back down on the bed beside me (it was then that I noticed there was an I.V. in it, courtesy of Dr. Cullen). "I'll go get Seth, and let him explain it to you."

When she left, I looked at Leland. "Why are you so…so…"

My throat was so dry I lost the ability to speak, and began coughing. Leland looked about to panic. "Dr. Cullen!" he called out.

_Tell him I'm fine_, I thought clearly, still coughing, knowing that Edward would hear. _My dry throat is making it hard to speak_.

I caught Edward's nod. "Leah has asked me to tell you she is alright," he said as Carlisle came back into the room. "She's just having trouble speaking because her throat is dry."

Leland's panic eroded as he looked down at me and I nodded, the cough finally subsiding. Nevertheless, Carlisle reached for the hand with the I.V. and picked it up, feeling for my pulse at my wrist and glancing at his watch as he did so. He laid it back down carefully after a minute and looked at me. "Your pulse is strong and steady, Leah."

"No poison?" I asked, and began coughing again.

"Leland, why don't you get her a glass of cool water?" Carlisle suggested.

Leland nodded, and looking down at me he said, "I'll be right back, I promise." He then stood, and after leaning to kiss my forehead, hurried out to do as Carlisle had asked.

The vampire doctor knelt next to my bed as I stopped coughing again. He fished a pen light out of a pocket and smiled apologetically as he shined it into my eyes-I supposed to check my pupil reactions. "No, there's no more poison in your system. How about you not speak until you're a little stronger? Edward can interpret your thoughts for a little while."

I glanced at Edward. _So nice to have your services volunteered for you, isn't it?_ I thought with some amusement.

He smiled benignly. "I don't mind speaking for you for a while," he replied. "It's sort of what I'm here for."

_Speaking of which… I get why your father's here, but what do you mean it's what you're here for? _

"I've been by your side nearly every minute since you were brought home, Leah, except for when your mother banished me from the room so that she could tend to your personal needs. Leland is the only person, other than your mother, who has been here as much as I," Edward replied.

I felt myself frown. _You said I was out of it for nearly a week. Why would you sit here for that long?_

"Six days, seven hours, twenty-two minutes, to be precise," the vampire said with a glance across me at his sire, who nodded. "Your family wished to be made aware the moment you were regaining consciousness, and so I was enlisted to listen for your thoughts. I have been here for that long because it was asked of me."

I felt my eyes widen. _You didn't mind being conscripted? Bella and Nessie didn't mind?_

Edward shook his head as Leland returned. "No, I have not minded at all. And my wife and daughter are only concerned for your well-being. They'll be pleased to hear you're awake."

I wasn't really sure how I felt about that. I supposed I didn't care if the kid was glad I was okay, but Bella being concerned for my welfare felt… weird.

Scooting his chair closer, Leland sat down and leaned forward with a glass in one hand, the other going under my neck so he could hold my head up. Carlisle helped him support my head, saying, "Just a little bit at a time, Leah. You don't want to overdo it, even if it is just water."

I'd have nodded if I wasn't so thoroughly enjoying the feeling of the water going down my throat. The parched, sandpaper feeling began to abate with each drink. I took a sip, swallowed, took another, swallowed that, until I'd taken about a quarter of the glass.

"Better now?" the doctor asked when Leland had taken the glass away and my head was once again resting on the pillow.

_Tell him I said_ much _better_, I thought with a glance at Edward.

Edward grinned and passed on my message as Carlisle stood. "I think I will go home for a while. Make sure to call me if she has any trouble, and I'll be back to check and possibly remove the I.V. later," he said.

_What's in the I.V.?_ I thought to my interpreter, glancing up at the bag on a nail in the wall but unable to read the print on it.

"A saline solution to prevent dehydration, and a liquid nutrient supplement," Edward told me.

"Leah?" Carlisle said, grabbing my attention. I looked up at him. "You're a very brave, resilient young woman, and I'm happy to see that you're on the mend. I've no doubt now that you'll make a full recovery."

I smiled a little at him. _Thank you_, I thought. Edward relayed my sentiments for me, and after smiling down at me again, Carlisle turned and left.

I looked at Edward and Leland. _It's taking Mom an awful long time to bring Seth back here_, I thought. _What is going on?_

Edward cleared his throat and Leland turned to look over his shoulder. "She wants to know what's taking Sue so long," he said.

Leland swallowed as he turned back to me. "It's…complicated, honey. Seth will explain."

_Explain what, damn it?_ I thought as vehemently as I could. Frankly, I was already getting sick of their skirting around the subject.

Edward's expression flickered, but both he and Leland were saved from responding by my mother's return. Seth came in behind her.

_It's about time_, I thought, studying my brother, who seemed inordinately nervous. He looked happy to see that I was awake, of course, yet also very distracted. I looked at Edward. _Ask him what's wrong…or do you already know?_

"I do," he said.

_Repeat exactly what I'm thinking for them_, I sent next, adding a belated, _please_.

Edward nodded and let the others know he would be speaking for me as I looked at my mother and brother. _What the hell is going on?_

My words were repeated exactly, as I had requested. That surprised me a little, but I discarded the thought quickly. _You guys look like you're afraid to tell me something, and that worries me. Just spit it out_.

"Well, there is _some_ good news," Seth began, glancing at Mom. She merely nodded, so he went on, saying, "I imprinted."

My face split into a wide grin, but the look on their faces told me that they were thinking this was not going to be good news to me. _Why would they think something like that?_ I wondered. This was fantastic news for Seth, who'd wanted to find his own mate almost as badly as I did.

"That's great, little brother," said Edward, repeating my next thoughts. "But why do you look like you're worried I'm gonna hate her guts?"

"Because you might."

Okay, now I really was worried. "Don't tell me…Sierra's baby? Why would that bother me? Jake imprinted on a baby. It's weird, but whatever, right?" Edward repeated for me. The last I could tell he said with a smile.

Seth shook his head. "No, not the baby, though we did rescue her - Cailin, too - and God, is she beautiful. Never thought a pale Indian would be beautiful, but she's absolutely gorgeous. She's in the living room with Cailin and…Embry."

I glanced at Edward. _You mean Rosalie hasn't tried to claim her yet?_ I thought with a grin.

"I'm certain my sister wouldn't have minded becoming the child's surrogate mother, but as it turns out, she already has one," Edward replied carefully.

Alright, I'd had enough. It felt to me that they were afraid to tell me who Seth had imprinted on and I could not fathom why…until it struck me like a Peterbilt.

_Oh dear God…not Serena? Please not that bloodsucking, neck-breaking bitch?_

My eyes were wide as I looked at my brother and Edward repeated my words (again, he surprised me by doing so verbatim). Seth shook his head. "Not her - she's dead for good. So is Joham."

_Good. May they both rot in Hell_.

Then I was struck with another epiphany.

_Jennifer?_

When Edward repeated my query, Seth nodded.

The shock of this revelation widened my eyes like saucers. Actually, they probably looked like dinner plates.

"Okay," said my interpreter for me. "_Now_ it is time you tell me what happened."

"Okay, look Leah," Seth said, plopping down on the edge of my bed down by my feet. "What happened was this…"

* * *

><p>I woke up feeling hot - you know how that is. At first I threw all the blankets off the bed and tried to go back to sleep, but that didn't work, so I got up to get a drink. I was kinda groggy as I went out into the kitchen, so at first I didn't notice anything was wrong. I mean, yours and Mom's bedroom doors were shut and your lights were off. I figured you were both in bed.<p>

I'm in the kitchen pouring a glass of milk, and out of the blue I remember how Leland came to our house and slept on the porch 'cause he was upset about your fight. I started to laugh, and maybe it was 'cause I was still half asleep, but I decided to go out and make sure he hadn't camped out there again. So I opened the front door, and I noticed your car was gone. I thought that was weird 'cause I remembered hearing you come in as I was falling asleep.

I decided to check your room, thinking that maybe Leland had drove you home and you were planning to go get your car in the morning. I peeked in and saw that your bed was still made, then noticed there was a pile of clothes and a couple towels on the end of the bed, and I know that's not like you to leave wet or dirty stuff on your bed. I was tempted to wake Mom up and ask her if she knew where you was, but I knew she'd had a long day with Emily and I didn't want to get her up if you'd just gone back to spend the night with your boyfriend.

Still, I was feeling like it was kinda weird that you left the stuff on your bed, so I went back to my room and got on my cell and called Leland. Took him a while to answer, and I started thinking I should just hang up when he finally got on, all sleepy-like.

"Lee, I'm sorry to wake you, bro, but I was just wondering if Leah's over at your place?" I asked.

He sounded a little more awake when he replied, "No, she drove home…hold on…about four hours ago. Why?"

"Cause she ain't in her room and her car's gone," I told him.

Leland cussed then, and that set off an alarm in me, seeing as I ain't ever heard him cuss before. One of the few guys I know his age that doesn't.

"Seth, you look all over that house for any sign of where she went. Do it now."

He didn't say please or anything, just kinda ordered me, but I wasn't 'bout to argue with him. First I went in your room and looked for like, your wallet and cell phone even though I know when your car is gone those are always with you; didn't find a note or anything in there, either, so I checked the kitchen. Nothing in there. Then I thought, duh, there's a notepad on Mom's desk. So I went to the desk and I found the note you left.

"Oh crap," I muttered after I read it.

"What? Seth, what did you find?" Leland asked me.

"Looks like Leah's gone and done something - probably something stupid, knowing her." (Hey, don't look at me like that - you wanted to hear the story, so I'm telling you everything, including what I was thinking.) "She left this weird note, and it's got an address in Seattle on it."

I read him the address. "Why would she go there, Seth?" he asked, and I could hear him pulling clothes on over the phone.

"I don't know, dude!" I kinda yelled. I mean, like I was supposed to know, right?

"Call Jacob," Leland said. "I'm calling Sam, and then we're going after her."

I told him I'd call Jake, and then we hung up. I was already in shorts, all I had to do was grab some shoes. I speed-dialed Jake's cell as I was pulling on my cross-trainers. Hated that I was probably going to wake him up, too, but what choice did I have?

"Yo, Seth, what's up man?" Jake said when he answered (on the fourth ring, I might add, so he was asleep too). "Why you calling me at almost three-thirty in the morning?"

"Leah's missing."

Just like Leland, Jacob was instantly awake then. "What do you mean, missing?"

I told him what Leland had told me, then I read him the note. Jake cussed too, and I remember having the oddball thought that it looked like it was gonna be a night for swearing.

"Alright, I'm getting dressed. I'm gonna talk to the Cullens and see if they want to help us find her. Tell Leland and Sam to pick me up here," Jake said, and before I could say I would do that, he hung up on me.

That irritated me, I gotta say, and it was bad enough I was already worked up over them being worked up. I went ahead and threw on a t-shirt too, and was coming out of my room when I ran into Mom in the hall (my yelling woke her up). So I had to explain it to her and get her all worried, which made me feel even more like crap. I told her everything was gonna be fine, 'cause that's what people always say in those situations. That we were going to find you and bring you home.

Sam and Paul were knocking on the door about the same time Leland was pulling up on the curb. And I literally mean on the curb: one tire of the Thunderbird was in the grass. I showed them both the note you left (yeah, Mom read it, too) and told them what Jake said about picking him up and stuff, then they started to leave.

"Wait for me, guys!" I called after them.

"Seth, you need to stay here with your mother, in case Leah comes home," Sam said.

"No," I said. "I'm not a kid anymore, Sam, and Leah is _my_ sister. No way in hell I'm going to stay home when there's a chance she's in trouble."

He looked at me for about a minute then said, "Of course. I should have known better. Forgive me, brother."

I didn't reply, just headed off the porch. We all stopped and turned around when we heard Mom come outside.

"Leland? Sam?"

"Yes, ma'am?" Leland said.

"Find my daughter. Please."

Leland and Sam both nodded. The four of us turned, and stopped again in a few steps - we were all headed for Leland's car, but not all of us were going to fit in it. Before anyone could say anything, Mom called for us to wait and then ran back into the house. She came back out after hardly a minute and threw her keys at me. I caught them in mid-air, already headed for her car with the other guys right behind me.

We were on the way to the Cullen house when Sam's cell phone rang. I remember being surprised he had brought it along, but then he'd also brought Paul to the house, which told me he'd most likely put out an alert to all the other wolves.

"What?" he all but roared into his phone, cursing (I told you it would be a night for it) when he heard what the caller had to say. A moment later he snapped the phone shut angrily.

"What is it?" I asked over my shoulder, as I was driving Mom's little Honda at breakneck speed.

"Collin is missing, too," Sam answered angrily. "This cannot be a coincidence."

"But why would they take off together?" Paul wondered.

"Only reason I can think of is if she somehow learned something about the leech that killed Sierra and took Cailin yesterday," I said. "She told us when we were tracking the scent that she felt guilty about not phasing before. Called herself a hypocrite for telling Leland he had to accept his raven as a part of who he is when she hadn't really accepted her wolf as a part of who she is."

Lee pounded his fist against the passenger side door as Sam said, "No one holds her not phasing against her. We all know what it means to her to give this up."

"Why didn't she call me?" Leland ground out. "We're bonded. If she couldn't trust any of you with whatever she learned, she should have at least trusted me."

"Maybe…maybe she thought she couldn't tell anyone. Maybe she was told _not_ to tell anyone," Paul suggested. "But she left that note, which means she was hoping we'd come after her, doesn't it?"

Had to be one of the smartest things I'd ever heard Paul say.

"Doesn't explain why she would take Collin with her," Leland muttered.

We were jetting up the Cullens' driveway about that time, and as we pulled up in front of the house, Jacob, Embry, and all the Cullen guys were coming outside. I jerked to a stop and the four of us got out of the car. I showed the note to all the guys. No one recognized the address you'd written down.

"How would you like to proceed?" Carlisle asked.

"Are you coming with us?" Leland asked.

"Of course, if you want us to," Edward responded.

"Leah's my friend, whether she admits it or not," added Emmett. "I'm gonna make sure she's okay."

Leland nodded. "How do we all get there?"

"We could run," Embry said.

"Not a good idea, son," countered Carlisle. "At least not for the wolves - you know you cannot appear in the city in that form. There's too great a risk that you'll be seen."

"There are enough vehicles here that we can all go together," said Jasper in that quiet voice of his.

Emmett counted heads: there were ten of us. "Three car pile-up! Who's riding shotgun?" he said, already headed for the garage.

* * *

><p>It took us about an hour to reach the gas station, flying down the freeway well over the speed limit. At that time of the morning, people were just starting to get up and go to work, so there was very little traffic.<p>

The first thing we noticed was that the address was an abandoned gas station. The second thing we noticed was Collin.

(Oh, come on, sis. Don't cry. No one is blaming you for what happened to him. Look, I can skip this part if you want me to. Sure? Alright then.)

We all got out of the cars when we saw him. Right away Carlisle checked him to see if he was alive, and when he shook his head no, all of us who were wolves said some choice words.

Carlisle leaned close and sniffed Collin's body. "A vampire broke his neck, I'm certain of it. I can still smell the scent, though barely. It will take an x-ray to be sure, but given the angle of the fracture, I'm fairly certain his death was instantaneous."

"At least he didn't suffer," Edward said quietly.

"At least he is not suffering anymore," Sam amended. "He and Sierra are together again."

"But how do we find Leah now? Her car's gone, so she's obviously not here anymore," I said.

It was then that I noticed Jasper sniffing the air. He then bent close to the ground next to Collin's body, still sniffing, and practically crawling on all fours as he followed whatever he was following.

"Dude, what are you doing?" asked Embry.

"Scenting," Jasper said as he stood abruptly. "The smell is getting weaker, but I believe I will be able to follow the trail of Leah's vehicle exhaust."

"You can do that?" Leland asked.

The blond vampire looked at him. "Tracking is not one of my specialties, but I am still good at it. Good enough, to be sure, to follow this trail. But as I said, it is getting weaker, so we had better hurry."

"What about Collin? We cannot leave him here," said Sam.

"Give me the keys to your mom's car, Seth," Paul said quietly. "I'll take him home. Just make sure you tear that tick apart."

Wordlessly, I handed him the keys. Wasn't like Paul to give up his place in the fight, but I wasn't about to deny that I was glad he had volunteered 'cause I wasn't going home without you.

Sam, Embry, and Jacob loaded Collin into the backseat of Mom's car as the rest of us started piling into the other two cars. Once Paul had driven away they joined us, and it was a good thing one of the other cars we'd brought was Emmett's huge Jeep; we ended up with one more person than there was really room for, but it worked out because Jasper said he would need to be outside so he could follow the scent trail. He ended up running down the sidewalk (obviously at a much slower pace than vamps usually run), and we followed him from the street.

I think all of us were antsy by the time we ended up in the warehouse district. I was in the Jeep with Emmett, Edward, and Embry, and it was Emmett who said, "Any of this look familiar to you, Edward?"

Edward nodded. "Indeed. We were here yesterday."

"Wait. You don't think the leech woulda taken Leah to that same building you guys found yesterday, do you?" Embry asked. "I thought you said you called the police about that place?"

"We did," said Emmett.

"With the police activity that would likely have taken place, we must assume that the vampires relocated to another building," Edward added. "That one there is where we followed the trail to yesterday."

Embry and I looked to where he pointed, but we passed the building and were down about three more blocks (a lot of the buildings were abandoned-man, Seattle's going to pot) before I caught sight of Jasper raising his hand up ahead, telling us to stop. Emmett cut the engine and turned out his lights and we all got out, as were the others from Carlisle's car. We joined Jasper in front of the doc's Mercedes.

"Over there," Jasper said, nodding toward the only building for blocks that had any lights on. It was then that I noticed your car, and so I pointed it out to everyone.

Leland started charging forward then, and Carlisle grabbed his arm. "Wait, Leland."

Leland shook him off. "Leah's in there!"

"Cailin's probably in there, too," added Embry.

"They may well be, but we can't just go barging in. We have to assess the situation," Jasper said. "We don't actually know how many vampires are in there. If it's one or two, certainly we outnumber them. But if the Volturi are involved as we have suspected, then there may be more, and we need to devise a strategy for entering the building."

"How about just walking through the door?" suggested Emmett.

"Emmett," Carlisle admonished him.

The big guy shrugged as if to say "What?"

That was about the time we very clearly heard howling, and since none of the wolves standing there had phased, we knew it had to be you.

Nobody stopped Leland that time when he took off at a dead run (finally got what that phrase means; dude was flying and he wasn't even in bird form) for the lit-up building, 'cause obviously we were right behind him. There was a door into the building on the side street near where your car had been parked, and I thought Lee was gonna jerk it clean off he opened it so forcefully.

Inside, this tall she-vamp and a male vamp came out of an upstairs office, probably to see what all the noise was about - and believe you me Leland was making a lot of it. He phased into raven form almost as soon as he stepped over the threshold and gave one of them ear-splitting cries of his, taking off toward the leeches. You were also screaming, but we didn't know if it was you or Cailin at the time.

The vamps looked surprised for all of about two seconds, then both of 'em jumped down to the first floor to avoid his claws as he tried to grab them. Embry screamed Cailin's name as he ran in and Sam and I both screamed for you, as the rest fanned out around the two vampires.

Cailin came running out of the office on the first floor, crying her eyes out, and she threw herself into Embry's arms. He caught her and started back outside with her, but she stopped him.

"Cai, let me get you out of here!" Embry said.

"No, Leah's upstairs! She's hurt, and I have to help her. Embry, she risked her life for me!"

Embry just nodded, and they ran for the metal stairs leading to the second story offices. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the Cullens and Jake were surrounding the two vamps, and Leland was darting back and forth trying to dive-bomb them. I seen Embry and Cailin go into that office upstairs, and a second later Embry ran out screaming for Carlisle. They ended up switching places; Carlisle went up the stairs and Embry joined the fight.

That's about the last thing that really registered for a few minutes, because I had been advancing on the office Cailin came out of with Sam. Don't know how to describe it except to say that I felt drawn there, like there was just no way I was gonna risk _not _checking it out. That's when _she_ came out - Jennifer.

And the most unbelievable thing in the world happened to me.

I've heard all you guys who've imprinted talk about it. How the fabric of your life unravels and weaves together again to bind you to just that person; how you just suddenly know that it's not gravity anymore, but that one person that's keeping you tied to Earth. I just remember looking into those beautiful brown eyes of hers (they look like Nahuel's, come to think of it), and feeling like she was the most perfect creature ever made.

(Well excuse me, Miss 'I Got My Miracle,' but that's what it felt like!)

It was barely a second or two, but somehow I knew I had just imprinted. Then the fact registered that Sam was crouching low, like he as gonna phase and spring at her, and obviously I couldn't let that happen, so I sped over to stand in front of her and blocked her from him.

"Sam, no!" I hollered. "She's my imprint!"

This, of course, stopped him up short. "No," he said. "She can't be."

"She is, Sam. I swear it."

Sam shook his head as I heard the sounds of battle out in the factory. "No, she can't be," he said again. "Nahuel said his father raised his sisters to think of people as animals, and you have such a kind soul. No way your bondmate is a killer who treats human beings like food, who would stand by and let Sierra and Cailin and Leah be tortured like they were."

"I didn't, not in the way you mean."

I turned around at the sound of her voice. "What's your name?" I asked her.

"My name is Jennifer," she replied, and I remember thinking it was such an ordinary name for a vampire - not that I cared one bit.

"What do you mean 'not in the way you mean,' bloodsucker?" Sam asked snidely.

She didn't get a chance to respond, because Jake called Sam's name. As I'm sure you know already, Serena had this ability where she could confuse people's minds and make them think she wasn't there, and she'd disappeared. Sam growled, then pointed at me.

"She is _your_ responsibility," he said to me, and then looked over my shoulder at Jennifer. "You had better hope he is right, or I will have your head."

While Sam went and joined the hunt for the she-vamp, I looked at Jennifer and just couldn't help staring. I mean, she's beautiful, like a lot of girl vamps, but to me she… she's better looking than Rose.

"You do not wish to hurt me?" she asked.

"No, I can't. I could never…" I said. "You're my imprint."

She frowned. "I don't know what that means."

I kinda grinned and said, "It's a shapeshifter thing. Means we've met our soul mate. The one person in the world who was made just for us."

"But you have never met me before today, and your friend is right about one thing - I have done terrible things."

"It's a little hard to explain, but we've found out we can imprint on someone we have just met. It's happened before," I said, then a loud crash had me turning toward the fight. Some piece of equipment had been knocked over and there was a wolf on top of it, snarling at the vampire pinned underneath.

"Serena…Father…"

I turned to Jennifer again. "They're going to die," I told her. "For what they've done, they're gonna be destroyed. Ain't no way to avoid it, and I would never ask Embry or Leland to let them live."

Her eyes widened as she looked at me. "And what will happen to me?"

"You're my imprint. My bondmate. It means they can't hurt you without risking a fight to the death with me - and I _will_ fight them to protect you."

"You would fight your family over me?"

"If I have to."

"But…I have helped them. I did not have a choice, for Father would force me to do it - he was a very frightening man sometimes. But I would take away the emotions of the women he chose," she said (and I swear, Leah, she really did look ashamed of herself. Like she hated herself for what she'd been forced to do).

"You have one of those special abilities?" I asked her.

Jennifer nodded. "I feel the emotions of others. I can feel yours…and theirs. The wolves - " Jake and Embry both had phased by this time, trying to track Serena. " - the raven… They are magnificent creatures, something I have never seen before. I can feel their powerful emotions, their rage. If I were to touch them, I could absorb their rage, and draw it into myself. It would be as if the rage was my own. If I held onto them long enough, they would feel nothing."

"That's why you're different, I bet."

"What do you mean?

"I can tell by looking at your face and hearing your voice that you're not like your father and your sister. You don't treat people like animals, like they're nothing but food. Feeling the emotions of your victims would have an impact on your psyche after a while," I said.

Just then I heard a howl of triumph, followed by another, and a loud screech from Leland. I turned back to the main room of the factory and saw that both the female and the male were being dragged to an open space by the Cullens. Leland phased back to human form, as did Embry and Jake (and of course, no one said a word about them being naked, though Jennifer did gasp).

Sam stood in front of the two vampires and said, "For the rape and murder of Sierra Bivens, our sister, the murder of Collin Littlesea, our brother, and for the kidnapping of Cailin McTiernan and Leah Clearwater, our sisters… You are hereby sentenced to final death." (Sam makes a great speech, doesn't he?)

Serena laughed and spit venom at him, for which Jasper head-butted her from behind. Leland walked up to her, and without saying a word he grabbed her head and jerked it clean off in a split second. Jasper, who'd held her alone (because Carlisle was upstairs with you), started tearing the rest of her body apart.

The male - Joham, I know now - he screamed in Spanish, or Portuguese, or whatever language it was, and finally in English he said, "You will pay for what you have done!"

"Speak for yourself, bloodsucker," Embry snarled. "If you have a soul, I hope it burns in Hell."

Then he tore off Joham's head, and Emmett and Edward split him apart.

Jennifer had cried out behind me, and on instinct I turned and took her into my arms. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"I must remind myself that they were foul creatures, even for our kind," she sobbed against my chest. "I know they deserved it, but…"

"Hey, you're allowed to feel something. They were your family."

After the vamps were torn apart, Jasper, Sam and Jake started a fire to burn the pieces as Leland, Embry, Edward and Emmett took off up the stairs to where you were. I guess I finally snapped out of the imprinting trance a little, because I started to follow them.

"Wait," Jennifer said.

I frowned then, but said nothing as she turned and went back into the office. I followed, and out of the corner of the room, from behind a filing cabinet, she pulled this little baby with jet-black hair and light copper skin. I could feel my eyes widen - it was Sierra's baby, one of the most beautiful baby girls I'd ever seen.

Jennifer turned to me slowly. "This is my sister, Sierra - like myself and my sisters, she was named after her mother," she said softly. "Sierra, this is my new friend - I hope. His name is… Well I don't know. You haven't told me your name."

"I'm Seth. Seth Clearwater," I replied, taking a slow step closer. The baby curled into Jennifer's arms, hiding her face. I smiled a little. "It's very nice to meet you Sierra. I've been looking forward to this moment."

Then the baby turned to me, looked at me for a long moment, and smiled.


	22. Chapter 21

**21. Truths**

I stared openly at my brother as he went on to tell me that when he and Jennifer and Sierra had joined the group upstairs, Carlisle mentioned being surprised by how quickly the venom was spreading through me, and that had they not drawn the poison out, I would surely have been dead within an hour. It chills me just to think of it.

Although of the four vampires present Carlisle was the one who surely had the most control, and would be able to stop drinking my blood in time to keep me from dying, it was Emmett who volunteered to perform the gruesome task. When Seth had asked him why he wanted to do it, Emmett had looked up at him and repeated his words from earlier that morning: "Leah's my friend, whether she admits it or not. I'm gonna make sure she's okay."

I almost cried in that moment, to think of how much the mountainous vampire truly cared about me - one of the wolves that hated vampires the most. That he had been so willing to break his vow to feed only from animals in order to save me was quite humbling.

"He isn't the only one of us who cares about you, Leah," said Edward softly.

When I turned my head his way, he said, "Granted, you haven't always been the easiest person to deal with. When you confronted Bella during her pregnancy, I was ready to tear you apart myself for upsetting her. But you have grown and matured in so many ways these last two years. Carlisle and I are of the same mind, in that because of our relationship with Jacob, we consider both packs extended family - not to mention the fact that you and I will be related by marriage as soon as your mother and Charlie have wed."

_You're not gonna start calling me your sister, are you?_ I thought wryly.

Edward laughed. "Not if you don't want me to, though I would be pleased to be able to call you friend. I should warn you, though, that Emmett _has_ declared you a sister. According to him, since he's had your blood, he can call you whatever he likes."

_Great_, I muttered silently, rolling my eyes. '_Leech-lover' will be next_.

When Edward laughed again, Leland looked between us and then up at Seth. "You're right. It's irritating to be hearing only one half of a conversation."

"What did I tell you?" Seth said with a wave in my direction.

I turned my head and looked at my mother. "I'm sorry, Mom," I whispered, wanting her to hear the words in my voice but not wanting to wear it out too soon.

"For what, honey?" she asked.

"That I scared you. I just…"

She reached for my hand again and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's alright, sweetheart. I hope you never do anything like that again, but I'm also proud of you for being so willing to risk yourself for someone else's sake."

"What have you told Charlie?"

Mom grinned wryly. "Charlie knows that you had a run-in with a vampire whose lifestyle differs from the Cullens.' And though he had some trouble dealing with it, he also knows about what happened to Sierra. He said he would have liked to exact human justice, because she was human, but he does understand that it would not have worked on Joham, and that what became of him was what he deserved."

I offered her what I hoped was a comforting smile, but when I looked back at my brother, I knew my expression was serious as I said, "Where is she?"

He didn't have to ask who I meant. Seth's face fell into a mask of wariness. "In the living room. She and Cailin and Embry are playing with the baby. Embry has accepted that she's not the same as her dad and sister, but he doesn't entirely trust her alone with Cailin."

"I want to speak to her."

"Leah, are you sure you're up for that?" Leland asked, concerned.

"I want to speak to her," I repeated.

Whether it was the look on my face or the tone of my voice, Leland made no further protests. Seth merely nodded and stood, walking out of my room.

"Help me sit up," I said to Leland.

"Babe, you've just woke up from being asleep for nearly a week. Just take it easy for now," Leland said.

I looked at him. "I'm not going to lay here flat on my back when some strange vampire walks into my room," I said, my voice getting stronger the more I spoke. "I just want to sit up, not stand up."

Leland looked to my mother for help in dissuading me, but he found none. Shaking his head and muttering something that sounded like "stubborn woman," at which Edward smiled, he stood and helped my mother prop me up against the headboard. They were just settling me into position when Seth led Jennifer into my room. She hesitated in the doorway, holding Sierra's baby (and she was, as Seth had said, extremely beautiful - probably the most beautiful child of American Indian blood I had ever seen; or would ever see, for that matter).

"Using that baby as a shield?" I asked.

"Leah, that's not necessary," said Seth.

I shot him a dark look. "Stay out of this, little brother," I said, and turned my attention back to Niobe. "Well?"

Jennifer glanced at Seth, then back at me. "No," she replied. "But Ever is still not quite used to being around so many people. She clings to me for comfort."

I frowned. "Ever? I thought her name was Sierra? Seth said you told him you and your sisters were named after your mothers."

Jennifer shook her head as she cradled the child to her. "We are, and Sierra is the name my father gave her. Ever is the name her mother wished her to have. I am honoring her request. My sister's name is Ever Sierra, after the young lady who gave her life."

After a moment of thought, I nodded my approval. "Smart move," I said. Then I gestured for her to come in further. "I won't bite."

Her eyes flicked to Seth again, but nevertheless she came into my room and stood next to my brother. I studied her then, and noted that, indeed, her eyes were the color of teak, like her brother's had been. She was about average height, maybe a couple inches taller - probably around five-seven. Her skin was a pale shade of brown that reminded me of the color of cappuccino, and her hair was a deep, dark brown - I suspected that her mother had been of Latino origin for her to be colored so. As her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail or a braid, I could not say how long it was, though if Renesmee's was naturally waist-length I had no doubt hers was, too. The baby's hair was already fairly long as well, straight down to about the middle of her back and jet black in color. Her skin was a light shade of copper, like cherry wood.

"My brother tells me he imprinted on you," I said.

Jennifer nodded. "It is what he says. I am still not certain I understand how it could be, even though the concept of imprinting has been explained to me."

"I don't think I get it, either," I told her. "My brother is one of the kindest, gentlest people in the world. Why would Fate choose a killer like yourself for someone like him?"

"Leah, watch it," Seth said in warning.

I looked at him. "This is my room, Seth, and I will say what I please here. I'm the one that almost died, and she had a part in that. I believe I have earned the right to speak my peace. If you don't want to hear what I have to say, the door is right there."

Seth and I stared hard at each other. I could see in his eyes that he was already over the moon for Jennifer, and ready to defend her if it came to that. He had indeed grown up, my little brother, and a part of me wasn't sure how to feel about it. I guess big sisters expect their younger siblings to remain little forever.

Jennifer put a hand on his arm in a comforting manner. "It is alright, Seth. Your sister is entitled to her anger, and neither of us can expect me to be accepted readily into your midst."

To me, she said, "I do not know the answer to your question, Leah. I only know that, while I have taken part in unspeakable crimes, I am not as much of a monster as my father and sisters were."

"Speaking of sisters, where was the other one? Nahuel said he had three when we met him," I said. "He said your father was raising you all to think of humans as mindless animals, that we were akin to cattle - food just waiting to be consumed."

Okay, so he hadn't put it exactly like that, I mused. But then he hadn't needed to. We all got the point.

"That was Father's intent, and he was successful in convincing my sisters of that belief," Jennifer said. "But the curse I was born with made it difficult for me to fall in line, as it were."

"Couldn't handle feeling your victims' fear, could you?" I queried.

Seth's expression darkened, and Leland gave the hand he held a light squeeze. But I would not be dissuaded. I wanted - needed - to make sure this girl deserved the devotion of my brother.

"When I take away someone's emotions, it does not dissipate into thin air," Jennifer was saying. "I actually absorb it into myself and feel it as if the emotion were my own, until it recedes naturally. And no, I could not handle it. The first few years of my life, I did not much understand my curse, and I fed on humans because it was all I knew. As I got older, Father made me use the ability more and more, even though it made feeding more difficult for me. He tried to persuade me that it was good for them not to be afraid, but I realize now that he only said that because of me. In truth, he and Serena and Maysun very much enjoyed the fear they engendered."

I recalled Joham saying he preferred to "enjoy a woman with spirit." It was not a far stretch to assume he meant fear, considering I had asked him if fear turned him on. Of course, he could also have meant that he got his kicks from eventually subduing a woman who fought back, and I shuddered to think what he would have done to me had I not called my wolf when I had.

"Serena called you weak," I said at last. "But having compassion does not make a person weak. It makes you a little more human."

It was the only concession I would give her.

Looking at the baby then, I asked, "Does Ever know my mother enough to trust her?"

It was then that I was reminded that Renesmee had begun speaking only a week after birth, and that Ever was just a day or so older than a week, for she looked at me and said in a twinkling soprano voice, "I like _abuela_ Sue. She's nice."

My mother beamed to be called 'grandmother,' even if it had been in Spanish, and when Ever turned and reached for her she took the child into her arms and held her gently.

"Now I get it," I said to Jennifer. "You're the one who dashed Rosalie's hopes."

Looking at my mom, I said, "Can you take her out of the room, please? There is something I want to say that a child shouldn't hear."

My mother looked sternly at me over Ever's shoulder, but nodded and left the room. I turned my attention back to Jennifer.

"I'm going to be brutally honest with you, hybrid," I said. "I'm not at all happy with the idea that you are my brother's soul mate. He deserves better. He deserves someone who is as good and kind and generous as he is."

"He does. Seth is far more than I deserve, indeed."

"Hey, come on," Seth said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "There is nothing wrong with you, Jen. I like you just the way you are."

"I have done terrible things, Seth," she said. "Things that haunt my dreams at night."

I nodded. "As well they should, lady. You have a lot to make up for if you're ever going to earn even one tenth of the devotion he's going to give to you. His imprinting on you is the only thing that gets you a pass for what you've done, because pack law dictates we cannot harm another wolf's mate."

I took a breath and then caught her gaze, holding it with my own as I said, "But know this: My brother is one of the few people in this world I love more than my own life. If you _ever_ hurt him or betray him, in _any_ way, law or no law I _will_ kill you."

I was a little surprised that Seth did not raise a protest at this. After all, he'd sworn to her that he would fight his own family to the death to protect her - and I had no illusions that my being his sister would make a difference. Even if she betrayed him, were I to kill her for it, he would come for me.

Perhaps it was the knowledge that she would be destroying a family if she betrayed Seth, but I saw in her eyes that she believed me. I'm certain the seriousness of my expression is what told her (and the men in the room) that I would indeed follow through on my promise. But while I meant what I had said, I did not want to risk losing Seth's love and respect. He was my baby brother, after all. I hoped my declaration would not become a bone of contention between us.

When she at last looked away, I broke the silence by clearing my throat and saying, "Now, in the old-fashioned speech of my former interpreter here, let us move forward and not speak of this unpleasantness again."

Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of Edward's mouth twitching as he fought a smile. Seth nodded and said, "I'm all for that."

"You never answered my question though, Jennifer," I went on. "Where's your other sister?"

The smile she had just shown Seth fell when she looked at me. "Maysun died about eighteen months ago. The vampire rulers were searching for Father. They came for us in Chile, but we managed to escape them, thanks to Serena's ability. We then moved on to Portugal. Nahuel's defiance of him had become my father's obsession, and he was searching for the perfect woman, one who would bear him a worthy son.

"But the trackers found us again. I was not home at the time they came, which is, I believe, the only reason for my survival. Serena concealed herself and Father with her ability, but she was unable to conceal Maysun as well, or so she claimed. As she was the only one they found, the trackers exacted their so-called justice on Maysun in Father's place. I have always believed that Serena sacrificed our sister to save herself and Father, whom she was intensely loyal to and protective of. We moved around more frequently after that, so that they would have a harder time finding us."

"Why did you guys come here?" I asked. "Of all the places in the world you could have gone, why this place?"

Jennifer shrugged. "I do not know. If Father had a specific reason for choosing this place, he did not share it with me."

I sighed and leaned my head back against the wall, then shot it forward again. "Cailin! Is…is she…?" I asked, looking from Seth to Leland to Edward.

"We don't know yet," Edward answered me quietly.

"But I thought you guys said Bella progressed about a week per day?" I pressed. "Wouldn't that mean that Cailin would be almost through the first trimester by now if she were…you know?"

The vampire nodded his copper-topped head. "She did. But your friend Cailin is rather…I hesitate to say stubborn. She won't let my father draw blood and Alice can't see her future, but there's a possibility that is due to her relationship with Embry and the fact that she spends so much time with him. She won't answer any questions from anyone about how she's feeling."

"Not even Embry?" I asked.

Seth shook his head. "She won't even talk to him about it," he said. "Only question she answered was when he asked if Joham had touched her. If the freak hadn't already been dead, I bet Embry would have killed him for sure."

I noticed Jennifer's pained expression, and for the briefest moment I felt sorry for her. It couldn't be easy for her to hear the boy who'd sworn his devotion talk so casually about her father being killed, even if she did recognize that he was a monster. Then I recalled how casually Joham had spoken of forcing himself on Cailin and me, how she had helped her sister kidnap the both of us so he could do that, and my empathy faded. I knew it was going to be some time indeed before I would come even close to liking her, let alone caring how she felt.

"Can you go ask her to come in here? All of you, go. Maybe she'll talk to me."

Seth nodded and led Jennifer out, leaning close and saying, "See? That wasn't all bad. She'll come around."

_I wouldn't hold your breath on that one, little brother_, I thought, then turned my head as Leland stood. I smiled at my beloved, beautiful man, who told me, "I am so happy you're finally awake. It's been hell without you."

"I love you, too, Lee," I said softly.

He leaned forward and kissed me then, stroking my hair as he did so, and then left. I looked at last to Edward, who moved to follow.

"Why haven't you read Cailin's mind?" I asked without preamble. "If she's pregnant, she's going to need help."

"I am well aware of the danger that she faces if she is," he told me solemnly. "But Cailin's mind is very similar to Charlie's - I cannot get an exact read from her. I only get impressions of thought, tone. I do know that she is very concerned, but…"

Edward's voice trailed off as Cailin appeared in my doorway. He smiled at her, nodded to me, and then left us alone.

"Close the door, will you?" I suggested casually. "Been enough traffic in and out of here."

Cailin nodded, wearing a measured smile. She shut my door and then walked over to sit on the edge of the bed, in the same spot Seth had occupied a little while ago.

"So nice to see that you're awake, Leah," Cailin said. "We were all so worried about you."

"I'm good now," I said lightly. "Actually thought I was dead there for a while - I had no idea a week had passed until Edward said so."

"Aye. But it is nice to be home. Embry's so overprotective now - he wants me to move in with him."

I laughed. "Didn't his mom say something about that?"

The corners of her mouth twitched. "I've no doubt. But they had themselves a private conversation, and afterward, Embry's mum said I was welcome to stay if I choose to take him up on the offer."

Silence fell between us, until at last I asked the question she'd probably been suspecting (or afraid) I would ask.

"Cailin, are you pregnant?"

She didn't look at me, just started picking at imaginary threads on the light bedspread that covered my legs. I went on. "Cailin, if you're pregnant, you need to tell someone. Dr. Cullen especially - he can help you. And Embry needs to know."

Cailin hiccupped and sniffled. "I…" she started to say, still not looking at me. "If I were pregnant, it would ruin everything. The only way to save me from death would be to turn me into a vampire."

"You don't know that," I told her. "The Cullens said they might have been able to deliver Nessie early enough that it didn't harm Bella, and even so, she was gonna go vamp anyway."

"Embry wouldn't want me anymore," she went on, as if I hadn't spoken. "I'd be of no use to him as a vampire - we all know that part of imprinting is finding the person who's best suited for carrying on the wolf genes."

"If that were really true, why did I imprint on Leland? Huh? Why did he imprint on me? Why would we have imprinted on someone whose animal form is so different from our own?" I asked her, ignoring the niggling reminder of my mother's genetic attraction theory. After all, she'd said it might explain why Sam and I had been attracted to each other, not that she agreed with Sam about the imprint being the best person to carry on the wolf genes.

Hadn't she?

I shook myself mentally as she was saying, "I wouldn't be able to have Embry's children. It's not even about having them for meself, it's about being able to give him the family he wants and needs and deserves. I wouldn't be able to do that if I were pregnant, because they'd have to turn me into a vampire after the baby is born. I'll be of no use to him. He won't want me anymore."

I noticed that she'd begun crying, and that she had changed the tense of her verbs and adjectives. I leaned forward, reaching for her hands. "Cailin, please look at me."

She looked up, her bright green eyes full of tears and fear. And I knew.

Cailin was pregnant.

"You listen to me, okay?" I admonished softly. "Embry loves you. He will love you no matter what."

"No wolf's imprint has ever been turned. I know, because he told me when he told me about wolves and vampires."

"So? There's never been a female wolf before, and look at me," I said. "I'm the only one that's imprinted on another shapeshifter, let alone one whose form is different from ours. Is that a female thing? We don't know. We might never know."

I gave her hands a small squeeze. "Girl, you gotta tell him. You have to tell Dr. Cullen, so you all can start preparing for this baby."

"I don't even know if I want this baby," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Cailin took a shuddering breath - she'd confessed the truth to someone, and there was no taking it back.

"I know some women cannot bear the thought of giving birth to their rapist's child," I said slowly. "If you decide that you want to have an abortion, I'm sure Dr. Cullen could help you with that."

Cailin shook her head. "I cannae do that," she said, sniffling again. "For one thing, I'm Irish Catholic, and abortion is a sin. I would be committing murder if I did that. For another, though I despise how it was done, I also cannae blame the wee babe for how it was conceived. He or she is innocent of any crime."

I nodded my agreement, then said, "Well, we've ruled out abortion. What about adoption?"

"Adoption? I couldn't hand the babe over to just anyone."

"I know that," I said. "I meant that if you can't bring yourself to raise the baby, you and I both know someone who would be willing. Either way, you have _got_ to start thinking positively. Having been through this once before, Dr. Cullen will be better prepared for what you'll be facing; he'll know better how to help you. The whole Cullen family knows."

A thought flashed into my head, and I could not believe I was about to suggest this, but… "Even Jennifer would be able to help you. She obviously helped Sierra through her pregnancy, if Ever's attachment to her is any indication. And I'm sure if you start preparing now, while there's still a few weeks left, that Carlisle will be able to devise a plan for minimizing pain and injury, _and_ to keep you human afterward."

I was not remiss to recognize the irony in my putting so much faith in a man whom I had once truly hated. But even I could not ignore the fact that Carlisle Cullen was a good man, as well as a good doctor. And as I said before, I had come to respect him, and had even forgiven him.

"I don't know," she said. "I'll think about it."

"Cailin, you can't wait too long to make up your mind, honey," I said, giving her hands another gentle squeeze. "I don't mean to seem like I'm pressuring you, but you really have very little time left before this baby is going to start needing blood, if it doesn't already. If you talk to Dr. Cullen now, I'm certain he can make arrangements for you like he did for Bella. Or they can bring you animal blood - "

"Enough!" Cailin cried, standing abruptly. Just as quickly as her anger flared it abated, and she dropped her face into her hands and wept.

"Oh, Leah, I'm so sorry," she said between sobs. "I just don't know what to do. I'm so scared. I'm scared I might die, I'm scared I might have to become a vampire, and more than anything I'm scared of losing Embry. I don't know what I'll do if that happens."

I wanted so badly to hug her, to comfort the poor girl, that I reached for her arm and yanked her into my lap-not that she didn't come willingly. Cailin all but folded herself into my arms and sobbed quietly against my shoulder. I didn't talk to her anymore about her pregnancy or what she should do about it. I just did what a friend would do: I held her and kept my mouth shut.

* * *

><p>Edward got to go home that night, as his services as listener and interpreter were no longer required. Carlisle had come and judged me fit enough to be relieved of the I.V. I was also strong enough by evening that I was able to walk out into the kitchen (with help from Leland) to sit at the dining table and eat dinner with my family. Seth, Jennifer and Ever joined us, of course, as did Leland. Branson and Shalayne were invited as well, and after a few minutes of observation I realized that the two girls had already met. Taking notice of my gaze, Leland told me in a hushed voice that Shalayne, having seen how much Seth liked Jennifer, had already given her a lecture similar to the one I had given her: that Seth was a good guy and she better not screw him over.<p>

It was a very interesting meal, to say the least. I was curious as to how Ever would behave in front of Shalayne and Branson, neither of whom were shapeshifters or vampires, and I was quietly informed (again by Leland) that it had already been stressed to the little girl that there were some people who would not understand why she was so special, and that she could not speak in front of them. She actually listened rather well and did as she was told, which impressed me. Also, being hybrids, I knew that Jennifer and Ever would be able to consume human food, and by her ready acceptance of it, I realized that the older of the two had already experienced eating regular food. But Ever apparently had not, and she made several humorous expressions as to what she liked (mashed potatoes with butter she seemed to love) and disliked (spinach was a definite _no_).

In one quiet moment, after Leland had gone home with his sister and godfather, I found myself asking Seth if either Jennifer or Ever had had any blood in the last week. He nodded, and told me how he and Jake (along with Bella, Edward and Renesmee) had taken Jennifer out and tried showing her the finer points of hunting. Jennifer had declared that while it would take some getting used to, she would convert to the same diet as the Cullens for her blood needs (my interpretation of this decision was that she didn't want to do anything that would make her look bad to Seth or deserve him less, so I grudgingly gave her a few points for it). Ever, who'd had human blood for a lot less time, had apparently been rather fond of the rabbit Nessie had caught for her. Seth had saved the hide and feet to make the baby a gift.

It was an education, that evening. I observed my brother silently as he spoke in soft, kind words to his newfound mate. I made note of how he deferred to her, how he already seemed attuned to her moods, how he could not seem to keep from touching her in some small way - the back of her hand, her shoulder, her knee. He was always aware of where she was, what she was doing, and the adoration in his eyes when she looked at him was unmistakable. Despite the horrible things she had taken part in (whether by her choice or no I had not yet decided), Seth had fallen in love with Jennifer in less than a week.

_At least they're about the same age_, I mused, sure that Seth felt the same way - he wouldn't have to wait to be with her as Jake, Quil and Mikah had to wait to be with their girls. I followed him with my eyes as he carried a sleepy Ever to his room; she and Jennifer, I had been informed, were staying in his room while Seth slept on the couch, and would until other arrangements could be made. The tenderness he showed to the baby was also a welcome surprise, and I knew just by watching how much he seemed to care for her as well. I knew by watching them together just how wonderful a father Seth would be someday, if he and Jennifer were able to have children together. Well, if not, they already had one in Ever, so it was of little consequence. But their pairing would tell whether or not hybrid females could conceive, as they were likely to marry and try for children well before Jacob and Renesmee.

I looked at Jennifer, whom I had spoken to little since our téte-a-téte, as Seth disappeared into his room. "How many of the wolves have you met?" I asked her.

She seemed startled by the fact that I was speaking to her, but recovered quickly. "I have met Sam, Jacob and Embry. Seth has kept me sequestered from the others. He says it is only for the time being, until they are used to the fact that he imprinted on one of the people responsible for what happened to their sister."

"Seth can be very wise on occasion," I said. "He gets that from our father. I think what he's done is a smart move. I only asked because now two wolves have imprinted on vampire-human females. There are only three of you in existence now, as far as any of us know, and the only one unmated is Ever. I'm curious as to whether she is destined to be the mate of one of the other wolves or not."

"What if she is?" Niobe wondered. "What will you do?"

I knew why she had asked, but I shrugged. "Nothing. If it happens it happens. Whoever he is would be like a big brother or friend until she's older and grown. Not for me to judge."

"You judge me."

"I have reason to judge you," I reminded her. "You helped your sister kidnap Sierra and Cailin and me. You're the one who jabbed a needle in my neck and drugged me."

Her cheeks flushed some, and she looked down. "I am sorry for that. I know you do not believe me and that it is likely you will never trust me, but I am truly sorry."

Jennifer's body shook, and I felt my eyes widen with the realization that she was crying. "Why am I here?" she muttered. "What could I possibly have done to deserve having someone so wonderful as Seth in my life, when my heart and soul are filled with such shame and loathing for all the horrible things I have witnessed and done in my twenty years?"

Looking up at me, she added, "You are right to condemn me, Leah. I am a monster. For the last thirteen years, I have been capable of making my own choices. I could have tried to stop my father and sisters, or I could have left them. Perhaps sought the company of my brother, if he would have me. But I did not leave, and my only excuse is that I did not have the courage to go. I did not have the courage to stand up to any of them and say no."

Jennifer buried her face in her hands and cried.


	23. Chapter 22

**22. Vision**

I was stunned into silence for several long seconds, and just as I was wondering where Seth was, why he wasn't coming to console her, I sensed him - and our mother - in the hallway. But they were waiting, apparently, for my reaction. What did they want me to do? Crawl down on the floor and hug her?

So_ not gonna happen_, I thought.

But having matured from my Evil Twin days meant that I was not completely heartless. Even though I disliked Jennifer, I couldn't just sit there and feel nothing while she was crying her eyes out, obviously very upset.

"Hey," I said. "Jennifer, look at me. I'm not gonna talk to the top of your head."

She looked up, reluctance and wariness in her eyes as she wiped tears from her face and sniffled. "You know what your father and sisters did was wrong." I told her. "You know that you've done wrong, and admitting that you've done bad things is the first step toward redeeming yourself. The second is actually feeling bad about what you did, and I guess I can see that you do. Doesn't mean I like you, just means I understand."

She nodded slowly. "I want to earn your trust. I want to earn the trust of your wolves and their mates, so that I am not hated and reviled for the awful things I did," she said. "But I do not know how I can do that. The past cannot be erased, and I know it is not as easy to stop hating as it is to start."

Ugh, did she have to say that? I think I, more than just about anyone, knew exactly what that felt like. It most definitely was not easy to overcome the hatred you felt for someone who was supposed to be your enemy, whom you had been born to destroy. It was also not easy to overcome the hatred you felt for yourself when you knew you'd been a horrible person.

_Great_, I mused sourly. _I've got something in common with her. Good thing Edward isn't here or he'd probably be laughing at me_.

"No, it's not," I agreed. "And I can tell you that it would be pointless for you to actually _try_ to win anyone's trust. Trust and respect and friendship are not simply bestowed, they're earned. The wolves take those things very seriously, so as far as I can see, the only way you're going to earn any of them is by giving up human blood, being a good mother to Ever, and doing right by Seth. Being good to Seth is the most important thing you can do, because each member of the two packs consider the others family, and when one of us is hurt the others rally. To me he's always gonna be my bratty little brother, but he's a good kid. He'll make a damn fine man someday."

"I think Seth is already a fine man," Jennifer said. "He has not questioned the decision of the power that chose me for him. He has simply accepted it. He does not care for the things I have done, but he does not hold the past against me. Seth has said that it is what I do from here on out that will define my character. That in making the choice to change and having true desire to do so is choosing the right path for the future."

I couldn't fight a wry grin at yet another glimpse of my brother's already prodigious wisdom. He was definitely turning into Dad.

"Like I said, Seth can be very wise on occasion."

In the silence that followed, Seth and Mom finally made themselves known. The expressions they wore as they joined us bespoke of innocence, but they knew that I knew better from the looks I gave them. I wasn't fooled - I knew they'd been listening, and I could see in their eyes that they were pleased I had been talking to Jennifer. Not like I'd had much choice, I told myself, seeing as they had chosen not to rescue me from her blubbering.

I still didn't like her, though. One talk wasn't going to change that.

* * *

><p>Despite my mother's encouragement, I did not sleep that night. After all, I reasoned, I had been asleep for six days already, and had missed so much. Plus, my mind was too full of thoughts chasing each other, one right after another. I had to cope with the fact that I'd been poisoned and nearly died. That I had been comatose for nearly a week, and that Edward Cullen had sat in my room every one of those days just to listen for my return to consciousness. He said he had done it because it was asked of him, but surely it wasn't that simple. Edward didn't like me. For years, the feeling had been mutual. Even as I was forced, as a member of Jacob's pack, to get to know him, I despised the vampire. I thought Edward was pretentious and nosy. That the only things he cared about in this world were Bella, Nessie, and his family.<p>

But I'd been wrong, hadn't I? When I'd gone to their house the day after Sierra had disappeared, he had been more than willing - along with most of his family - to help look for her. He had been more than willing to join the search for Cailin when she had been taken right off the reservation. And he had been more than willing to join the search for me, despite the fact that we did not get along. He respected and liked my mother and my brother, and Leland, I believe, so much that when one of them had asked him to sit by my bedside and listen for my thoughts for however long it took me to regain consciousness, Edward had not hesitated. He'd simply said, "Of course I will."

Once again I was being forced to reevaluate my opinions, and in doing so, I found myself feeling humbled by his generosity. He'd given up a week of his life for me - a drop in the bucket, considering his probable immortality, but still. He had supported my mother's decision to tell Charlie everything, didn't seem to mind the fact that I would soon be his stepsister-in-law, and had even said he would like to be able to call me friend. In the face of all that, how could I still hate him? I could not, I knew, and so I now, amazingly, counted Edward Cullen among my friends.

I laughed to myself when I had that thought, and was once more glad he wasn't around to hear it. I needed to get used to it myself before it was rubbed in my face that I was becoming friends with vampires.

That led me to thinking about Emmett, who had taken a huge risk when he'd drunk my blood. He could have killed me, had he not had the strength of will to stop in time. He could have disrupted his hard-won self control and attacked someone after having had human blood for the first time in many years. But then, I wondered, did I even qualify as human? What did a shapeshifter's blood taste like to a vampire?

Emmett had been trying almost since the beginning to get me to like him, and even though I had been unwilling to admit that I did, he had called me his friend. He had sworn that he was going to make sure I was alright. Now he wanted to call me sister. I found that, honestly, I had no objection to it. Emmett had saved my life, so he could call me whatever he wanted. And the next time I saw him, I would not only say thank you, I would give him a hug.

I found myself next evaluating my brother's bondmate. Jennifer was the last person in the world I would have chosen for Seth. She had aided in the kidnapping of at least three women that I knew of (including myself) - probably more given the stories she had told me - and had done nothing to save Sierra from death. Okay, I didn't really know if _that_ was true, because I hadn't been there. Maybe she had tried to save Sierra, but then who really could have once her child had torn its way out of her womb? Even though I didn't want to, I could easily imagine that her injuries had been extremely traumatic and that she'd lost an incredible amount of blood in a very short amount of time. Sierra had probably died fairly quickly. There'd have been nothing for Jennifer to do but take the baby away from the sight so that she would have no memory of it.

There was also the way she had acted today. Both times I had talked to her, Jennifer had shown true remorse for the things she had done (had to be true, or that was an Oscar-worthy performance she had put on). She had admitted she was ashamed of herself, that she loathed herself because she hadn't had the courage to stand up to her father and sisters or to just walk away from them. If she really did feel like so much crap for her part in their crimes, didn't that mean she wasn't entirely without morals? That she was worth redeeming? Also, she had not only taken on the role of mothering her baby sister with simple acceptance, she had been decent enough to honor the young woman who had borne her by giving the child the name Sierra had wanted her to have, and giving her Sierra's name to go with it. I realized that Jennifer had not once referred to herself as Ever's mother, only as her sister. Her respecting the fact that she was not really the girl's mother at all also earned her points.

Jennifer had also taken to Seth quite readily, and from a somewhat objective standpoint, I could see why she was so instantly attached to him. Seth had saved her life by standing between her and Sam. He had said he would protect her even if it meant a fight to the death with one of his own family. He had accepted her as his imprint without question - no wondering why a killer had been chosen for him, just contentment that he had finally met The One. The inner peace that all of us who had imprinted had found was already a natural element of Seth's personality, and she had looked upon that quiet serenity with awe. When he wasn't looking, I'd seen her look at Seth like she just could not comprehend how she could possibly have deserved someone so kind, so generous, and so caring. It occurred to me that her ability to read and draw emotions would also attract her to someone like Seth, the way a moth is drawn to a flame. She'd want to know that feeling herself, and would not be able to get enough of it.

I wanted to believe she really wasn't going to betray my brother, if for no other reason than that she would lose her connection to all that inner peace. I even hoped that one day her hero-worship might turn into real love, because that's what Seth wanted, what he was looking forward to. But did it mean I had to accept her? Trust her? Love her like a sister? The part of me that loved my brother fiercely wanted to protect him from her; I feared that she was only going to end up breaking his heart. I just couldn't help that fear, because the horrible things she had done all too recently were still very much at the forefront of my thoughts.

But was it really fair to Seth to continue mistrusting her? I wondered. If Jennifer was his predestined mate, there had to be a reason for it. Maybe he was her savior in more ways than we knew - could be that _he_ had been chosen for _her_, in that his kind, peaceful soul was the light directing her onto the path to a much better life for herself. If that was true, then there was no one more perfectly suited to the task than Seth.

There was also the fact that Seth actually liked vampires - the "vegetarian" kind, at any rate. He had taken to the Cullens with virtual aplomb, bonding with Edward almost instantly. Seth even liked some of the Cullen associates who still fed on humans. He might have disagreed with their food source, but believed that many of them were still good people in spite of it. I should have figured his bondmate would be part vampire.

By the time I had resolved to be a good sister and give Jennifer a real chance, the sun was rising. This would be my first day out and about in a week - I had missed nearly seven whole days with Leland, and I was looking forward to being with him again. My face blossomed into a smile at just the thought of him, and even though it was still very early, I threw back the sheet and went to take a shower. In the bathroom, I hesitated for just a moment as I pulled aside the shower curtain, remembering the last time I had taken a shower. How I had been called away in the middle of it and had ended the night by nearly getting myself killed. Then I took a deep breath and reminded myself that Joham and Serena were dead, and I had nothing to fear.

I took a long, hot shower, and felt refreshed and rejuvenated when I got out. Perhaps it was the restless energy I had stored from being in bed for a week, but I just couldn't stay in the house. Mom was getting up as I left my room dressed in a light tank-style blouse, shorts and sandals, and asked me if I'd like some breakfast before I went off to spend the day with Leland. I grinned at her and then sobered as I shook my head, saying there was something I wanted to take care of first.

Because of how long I had been unconscious, I had missed Collin's funeral. I needed to go to the cemetery to pay my respects, and to tell him how sorry I was. Hopefully, he would hear me from wherever death had taken him.

Though it was still fairly early when I walked outside, the sun was already shining brightly. Birds were chirping in the trees. It was a fine summer day, but I felt morose as I walked to the village cemetery. I found myself thinking about Collin and Sierra - how at first Collin was enraged after she'd disappeared, but then he'd simply fallen into a state of misery and despair. I'd never seen anyone so deeply depressed, so very…lost. I'd thought taking him with me would be a good thing, that he would finally get to exact some sort of justice (okay, vengeance) against her kidnappers, but all I'd done was take him to his death. From what Seth had said, Sam was of the belief that Collin was no longer suffering and that he and Sierra were together again. I'd been told that no one blamed me for what happened to him.

But they were wrong - _I_ blamed me.

How was I ever going to face that boy's parents, knowing that if I had not stopped, if I had not told him to get in the car, he would probably still be alive today? Of all the terrible things I had done, it was by far the worst of them.

As I arrived at last at the cemetery, I noted that it had been recently mowed, and thought that a cemetery actually seemed more welcoming (if a cemetery could ever actually be so) when it was well-kept. I realized I had no idea where Collin had been buried, but then reminded myself that he'd only been in the ground a few days - the grave would not have a headstone yet - and would still be covered with raw earth. Once I remembered that, it didn't take me long to find him. I found Sierra, too - the families had buried them next to each other.

Tears sprang to my eyes as I fell to my knees between the mounds, and a sob escaped my throat. "Oh, God, I am so sorry," I said out loud. "Sierra, I'm sorry I didn't help them look for you. As a wolf, I mean. I don't know if it would have made a difference, but I could have tried. And Collin, I am so sorry I even stopped that damn car. I never should have stopped, let alone asked you to go with me. If I hadn't been so scared to go alone, I would never have - I'm sorry. It's my fault, all my fault that you're dead now!"

At that, I dropped my head into my hands and wept, and was so swept up in a tide of guilt that I didn't even hear anyone come up behind me. It was only when he knelt and put a hand on my shoulder that I even realized Kevin Littlesea was there.

"Leah, it's alright," Collin's father said quietly. "You are not to blame."

I jumped, and turned to face him slowly - I'd been dreading such a moment as this. "How can you say that, Mr. Littlesea? If I hadn't told him to get in the car…"

His expression was sad, but it was with sympathy that he looked at me, saying, "I have no doubt that my son would have ended up in this grave at some point. It disturbs me to think it, to think that each and every one of you could end up in a grave if something happens to your imprints. Perhaps it was his youth that made him so vulnerable, I don't know. But Collin was, I realize now, lost to us the moment those things took Sierra. Following her into death was just a matter of time."

He stopped and took a deep breath, no doubt to try and stay the swell of tears I saw in his eyes. "I understand that you were afraid that night. That you took him with you hoping that his rage might actually save you both. Even had it worked out that way, we would still be visiting him here. I found a note on his computer this morning - first time I've been in his room since Paul brought him home. Collin had written that as soon as her killer was dealt with, he was planning to kill himself, because he couldn't live without her. I wish my son had been stronger, wish I could have helped him find the strength to go on without Sierra, but… Even the love of his parents, his sister, and his brothers and sister in the packs, it seems, was not enough."

I sniffled and wiped furiously at the tears streaming down my face. "You're really not angry? Mrs. Littlesea isn't angry with me?"

He shook his head no and I saw that he was sincere, but it did nothing to assuage my guilt. I looked down at the two graves. "I don't see how," I said. "I still feel so awful about taking him with me. I still feel like, if I hadn't, he would still be here. At the same time, I know you're right. I'd seen how lost he looked before that night. Like there was nothing left of Collin but a shell - I'm sorry, that sounds terrible."

"But an accurate description nonetheless, I'm afraid," Mr. Littlesea said.

"It still doesn't help me or you or Mrs. Littlesea or Penny hurt less, though, does it? It isn't going to help me feel any less guilty, knowing he was planning to take his own life because he was so miserable. All I can think about when I think of Collin is how if I hadn't taken him with me, he wouldn't have died _that_ night. I feel responsible for that."

Mr. Littlesea nodded his understanding. "That thought may well haunt you for some time, child, but I hope it will someday help you rest assured that we do not hold you responsible for Collin's death. The one responsible for that, I am told, has been destroyed. I'm satisfied with that, though it made me for the first time wish I was a wolf too, so I could have done it myself."

I nodded, and with a last look at the graves of the two children who had been lost to us, I stood. Brushing off my knees, I turned fully to Mr. Littelsea, who had also stood. "I know you said you don't blame me for what happened to Collin, but please tell Mrs. Littlesea how sorry I am."

Mr. Littlesea sighed. "I will do that. Thank you for coming to pay your respects. It really is good to see that you are better," he replied.

"Thank you, sir," I said, and then moved around him and walked away to leave him alone with his grief.

* * *

><p>When I returned home, I found both breakfast and Leland waiting for me. He got up from his place next to my mother and came over to embrace me.<p>

He stood back after a nice, long moment, and looking at me with concern, asked, "Are you okay?"

I shrugged. "I will be, eventually. I'm gonna go wash my face. Excuse me."

I walked away and into the bathroom, where I leaned against the sink and took a deep, steadying breath. Then I turned on the faucet and ran the water cold, splashed a little on my face and rubbed it in, then turned off the tap and dried myself with the hand towel we kept on a peg on the wall. It struck me, probably because of my still morose mood, that what I had just done was something I actually relished being able to do. I would be thankful every day for the simple pleasure of being able to splash water on my face. I would be so much more thankful for all the little things now.

As I was returning to the gathering around the table, I noticed Seth and Jennifer were in the midst of a hushed discussion, and I did my best to ignore it as I sat on Leland's right side across from Ever. Still, my ears with their preternatural hearing picked up just about every word, from Seth's "I don't think that's a good idea" to Jennifer's "Maybe you should ask her anyway."

I could see out from under my hooded gaze (as Leland was handing me a large bowl of scrambled eggs) that Seth was struggling with giving in to her. Knowing how badly a wolf desired to make his mate happy, I was surprised to see him not acquiescing immediately and found myself wondering why he didn't.

Unless, of course, whatever Jennifer wanted was about me.

Seth knew me well enough to know that I was still not sure about her - which I appreciated - but I didn't want to be the cause of discord between them so soon after they had met. After scooping a good helping of eggs onto my plate, I set the bowl down and looked at them. "What is it?" I asked.

Seth just about jumped out of his skin, and Jennifer's expression was wary as she looked over at me. As I noticed had become her habit when she was unsure (reminding me, oddly enough, of Esme Cullen), Jennifer glanced at Seth for guidance. My brother sighed, and after returning her gaze briefly, looked at me and said, "Jen can feel your pain - your emotional pain. She wanted to offer to take it away."

I looked at the vampire hybrid next to him with one eyebrow raised, then forced myself to relax it. She was just trying to be nice. She just wanted to help. And I won't lie and tell you the thought didn't appeal to me for a moment, that I could be relieved of my overwhelming guilt. But if her ability was anything like Jasper's…

I took a breath. "Thank you, Jennifer, for the offer. I mean that sincerely. But whatever you do to me isn't going to last, is it?" I waited a moment, and when she shook her head I continued. "Besides - for now, at least - I think I deserve to feel this way."

Both my mother and Leland looked ready to protest this, but I stayed their words by raising my hand. "Look, I know how you all feel. I know how the Littleseas feel - I saw Collin's dad at the cemetery a little while ago. But knowing how you feel doesn't change how I feel. This is something I have to deal with on my own, okay?"

At this, my mother smiled sadly and nodded, and Leland squeezed the hand he had taken, bringing it to his lips to kiss. After that, we ate in silence for a few minutes, until Ever startled us all by saying,

"Auntie Leah, you coming hunting with us today?"

Three forks stopped midway to the mouths they were headed for, and one clattered loudly as it was dropped. Jennifer looked almost frightened as she turned her glance onto her sister, while Seth said, "I'm sorry, that's my fault. I said it as a joke while you were out cold…"

His voice trailed off as I was lowering my fork to my plate, staring at the little girl across from me. Her expression was as guileless and innocent as a child's could be, and she really was so beautiful I don't think I could have resisted that wide-eyed, hopeful look if I'd tried.

"I wasn't planning on it," I said slowly. "Would you like me to?"

Her eyes widened and she grinned hugely as she nodded. "Seth's taking Jenny so she gets used to animals. But she's not allowed to eat the wolfies. I wanna see your wolfie, can I see it?"

If we had all be stunned before, I don't think the little girl could have said anything else more shocking than to ask me to show her my wolf. Though I think it was my response to this new request that shocked them all the more.

I smiled. And I said yes.

* * *

><p>Because we had all eaten breakfast, it wasn't until later in the afternoon that Seth, Jennifer, Ever and I headed over to the Cullen house to go hunting with Jacob, Edward, Bella, and Nessie. Renesmee, Ever told me proudly as my brother drove, was her absolute best friend in the whole world. I smiled in amazement to hear the little girl talk, she was already so perfectly articulate. Renesmee had been too, right from the beginning. Now that I was warming up to the idea of the vampires being a permanent part of my life, I found myself looking forward to watching this little girl grow up. Nessie's birth had occurred in the later stage of my Evil Twin period, and I hadn't really paid much attention to her progress. But Seth's imprinting on Jennifer meant that both she and her baby sister would be a constant in my life, so at least for the next two or three years, I would be an eyewitness to this one's evolution.<p>

I'd hoped Leland would be able to join us for whatever the afternoon held in store, for I still terribly ached to make up for the time we had lost. But Branson had called his cell phone as breakfast was ending and announced that the last of the remodeling supplies had just been delivered. They would be able to finish restoring Whistler Cottage at last, and though I knew he longed to spend time with me, I could also see that Leland was excited to be finishing the project and making his grandfather's house a home once more. So I'd embraced him tightly, made him promise to come see me later, and shooed him away.

It wasn't until we were emerging from my car in front of the Cullen house and Jennifer was lifting Ever out of the child car seat (which Esme had generously provided while I was unconscious) that I thought to ask what would be done with Ever while the hunt was going on. I knew from my dim memories of Nessie's first few weeks and my own observation of Ever from the night before that she couldn't walk yet.

"Esme and Rosalie watch after her," Jennifer told me.

At that moment, Renesmee came bursting out the front door and ran over to us, her copper curls bouncing as she made her way across the lawn. She gleefully reached for Ever and Jennifer handed the baby down to her instantly, a smile on her face.

"Come on, Ever," Nessie said as she promptly turned back toward the house with the smaller child in her arms. "Wanna see all the pictures again?"

"Pictures?" I queried of my brother as he took Jennifer's hand and we all followed the girls up to the porch.

"Ever's fascinated with all the paintings and portraits in the house," Seth explained as we walked up the steps. "The first time we came here with her, Nessie took her on a tour of the house. Then Ever made her do it again like, three times. And yesterday when we were here, she did it again."

I laughed as we were met at the door by Edward. "Welcome," he said. "It's good to see you moving around, Leah."

I felt a flush creep up my neck; I was oddly embarrassed by his friendliness, I guess because I was not yet used to thinking of him as a friend. Edward smiled as I stepped past him, and when I raised an eyebrow, he chuckled and said, "Sorry. Just responding to your thoughts in typical Edward fashion."

I narrowed my eyes in his direction, though I wasn't really angry. As we all moved further into the house, I began looking around for one vampire in particular, someone had something to say to.

"He's out back," Edward said.

I just shook my head as I headed for the glass wall on the other side of the living room with its sliding doors, but paused in my mission when an alarmed cry from Nessie pierced the peaceful air.

"Daddy!"

Her tone caused Edward to disappear in a flash, with Jennifer right behind him. Seth and I followed, and I noted that Emmett, Rosalie, Bella and Esme each came in from outside, bringing up the rear. We found the girls in Carlisle's study, where he kept the portraits of the Volturi away from the more welcoming parts of the house. Nessie and Ever were standing in front of the single painting depicting members of the Volturi guard, which included the twins Jane and Alec, as well as enforcer Felix and tracker Demetri.

"Nessie, darling, what's wrong?" I heard Edward say breathily as I rounded into the room.

"I told you Ever has a gift!" his daughter said insistently. "You didn't believe me."

"What is she talking about?" I asked.

"Ever sees things like Aunt Alice, but not the same way," Renesmee answered me.

This was obviously something the others had heard before, and I could see from the doubtful looks on their faces that they weren't sure whether or not to believe the little girl. But why not? I thought. Hadn't Nessie displayed her gift for showing people her memories from the very beginning? And though I had not asked if Maysun had had a gift, nor did I recall if Nahuel had one, I knew that both Serena and Jennifer had been born with a supernatural talent, so it was not a stretch to believe that Ever would have one as well. It would be the only decent thing she would have inherited from her father, for she thankfully looked like an exact replica of Sierra, from her pouty lips, ebony hair and onyx eyes to her copper-colored skin. Only the latter was slightly unlike Sierra's in that it was paler because of her vampire genetics.

"What do you mean, 'not the same way'?" I asked, directing my question to Nessie.

"I see now," Ever said proudly. "That's what Nessie says. That I see now 'cause I can see what people are doing when I think about them."

I turned toward Edward. "And you don't believe her?"

"We weren't sure," he said, his eyes on the baby. "I'm ashamed to say that we believed it to be the healthy imagination of a small child, because what she described was so unlike even Alice's gift. Surely you can understand why."

"Being able to see what people are doing at any given moment would be an incredible talent," Esme said. "A powerful gift."

"It would be a power sure to attract the attention of the Volturi," Bella added, sounding alarmed. "If they ever heard about this, they might possibly want Ever more than they want Alice."

"No!" Jennifer cried, rushing over to her sister and snatching her from Nessie's arms. She cradled Ever protectively to her breast as Seth moved immediately to her side and wrapped an arm around her.

Edward stepped closer to them. "Ever, I'm sorry I didn't believe you," he apologized to the baby. "Will you tell me what you saw?"

Ever turned in Jennifer's arms and pointed to the painting she and Nessie had been looking at. "Them."

After a moment of staring intently at her, Edward turned to the rest of us and nodded. "I've seen her memory of the vision. They are coming, at least Felix and Demetri are."

A strangled cry erupted from Jennifer's throat. She clutched the baby tighter and turned into Seth's embrace.

"It's alright, honey," my brother told her, holding the shaking woman against his chest. "They're not going to take Ever away from you."

"Why else would they come here?" her muffled voice said.

I found myself stepping forward and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Jennifer, listen. The Volturi couldn't possibly know about Ever's gift - we just learned about it for sure ourselves."

She turned her head slightly to look at me. "But why else would they come?" she asked again.

"What about your dad?" suggested Rosalie. "I mean, he's the one they've been after all this time, right? For trying to create a super-race?"

"That's right," said Emmett. "Nahuel told us about that. He told them, too. Said they could do what they wanted with your dad but to leave his sisters alone."

"They killed Maysun," Niobe returned. "That was not leaving her alone."

"Jennifer, you said yourself that they killed her in your father's place," I reminded her. "That's what they like to do, make examples out of people."

I glanced around me at the other vampires for assurance of this, and they all nodded. "They're probably here looking for your father," I went on. "They just don't know that we beat them to the job. Again."

Emmett, of course, grinned at this, while Esme said, "Edward, any idea when? I need to call Carlisle, Alice, and Jasper."

"And I should call Sam," added Jacob. "Have the wolves on standby."

Edward looked at Ever. "Can you remember what you saw one more time? Or try to think about what they're doing right now, so I can see them?"

Ever turned her head toward the painting, her glance becoming a far-off stare similar to what I had seen on Alice's face a few times. A few moments later, Edward turned to the rest of us with a grim expression.

"Better make those calls quick," he said. "Felix and Demetri just got off a plane in Seattle. At a run, they'll be here in about an hour."


	24. Chapter 23

**23. And If a Visit from the Volturi Doesn't Kill You…**

Esme dashed over to Carlisle's desk as Jacob whipped out his cell phone, both dialing quickly and making hushed calls.

"Wait a minute," said Seth suddenly. "I don't get it - why are the Volturi coming here, to Forks, if they're still tracking Joham? Right now they're in Seattle, right? That's where he was. Why don't they look for him there?"

"We're the closest coven to Seattle. They're probably coming to see what, if anything, we know about Joham's activities there," Edward replied.

"Carlisle said he, Alic,e and Jasper are on their way home now," Esme reported as she rejoined us.

"Where were they, if I may ask?" I queried.

Esme nodded. "They were out hunting, but they're coming back early in order to be here before Felix and Demetri arrive."

At that moment, Jacob also snapped his cell phone shut. "Sam, Embry, and a couple others will be here in a few minutes, too," he told us.

"If only two of them are coming, aren't we panicking just a little prematurely?" Rosalie wondered.

"Honey, we don't know if it's just them, really," Emmett said. "We only know they're the only two Ever saw."

"Emmett is right," I said, though not unkindly. "Ever might only have seen Felix and Demetri, but they could be just the first wave."

"Frankly, I'm surprised if it is just the two of them," Bella piped up. "I mean, last time they came as an advance, Jane and Alec were with them."

"And I'm surprised, I have to say, that Alice didn't see them coming sooner," Esme mused.

"Alice hasn't been actively watching their futures, Esme," Edward said. "Not regularly, at any rate. And you know as well as I that some of her visions simply come at random."

"I know," the red-haired female vampire said with a nod. "I guess I'm just used to Alice getting warnings when something like this happens."

In just about twenty minutes, Carlisle, Alice, and Jasper returned from their aborted hunting trip. At nearly the same, Leland showed up (I'd called him, wanting him close by to keep me calm), and Sam and Embry arrived with Mason and Alex. And as if we didn't have enough on our minds with two of the meanest Volturi headed our way, Alex Emerson fell to his knees the moment he laid eyes on Ever.

"Oh my God," he breathed, his eyes wide as his expression changed from one of anticipation to one of wonder.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes - did this have to happen _now?_

"Let me guess, Alex…you just imprinted?" I asked.

I honestly don't think he heard me. Alex simply stood and walked slowly over to where Ever sat on the floor with Renesmee, looking up at him with curiosity in her eyes. Seth moved to intercept him.

"Answer the question," my brother said sternly.

Alex didn't take his eyes off of Ever. "She's the most incredible thing I've ever seen," he said breathily.

Seth stepped closer, until there was hardly more than an inch between them, and Alex was forced to look at him. "That girl is already like a daughter to me, Emerson," Seth said, surprising me and probably a few of the others as well. "You do right by her, you hear me?"

Alex's eyes widened a fraction, but nevertheless he nodded. "She's my whole life now," he said. "Nothing's gonna happen to her. I'm gonna take care of her, I swear it."

If I hadn't known exactly what that felt like, I'd have been rolling my eyes again. It was creepily close to a scene out of a cheesy fantasy novel.

It was Sam who broke through the eeriness by asking to once again be told what we knew. Jacob explained again that we had discovered almost too late that Ever had been born with the gift of being able to see what a person was doing in the moment, and that through reading her mind, Edward had seen Felix and Demetri getting off a plane in Seattle.

"We can only assume they're headed this way," Edward added quietly.

"They're not after Ever, are they?" Alex asked with alarm.

"They don't even know about her, Alex, let alone that she has a gift," I said.

"But how do we know they don't know? Maybe they have spies in Seattle," the younger wolf went on, hovering protectively near his new charge.

"That's very possible, I'm afraid," Carlisle acknowledged. "It is a possibility that they already knew Joham and his daughters were in Seattle, and were waiting for something to happen."

"Another excuse to come here themselves and spy on us, no doubt," sneered Rosalie.

I turned to Jennifer. "Is it at all possible your father was in with them? Working for them, I mean?"

"If Father had been working for these Volturi, why would they continue to chase us? Why would they have killed my sister?" she asked.

"Could be they cornered your father somewhere and convinced him to continue his sadistic plans on their behalf. Killing Maysun would serve as a reminder of what would happen to you or Serena, or to him, if he didn't comply with their demands," I said. "They could be coming here for something as simple as a progress report."

"No," Carlisle said. "That doesn't explain why they'd be coming _here_."

"Unless coming here before scoping out Seattle is all a part of the bigger plan, to make us think he's not working for them," Emmett suggested.

"Which means they don't know Joham is already destroyed," added Bella. "What'll happen when they find out the leader of their pet project is dead?"

"This is all speculation right now," spoke up Jasper. "We didn't think to question Joham or Serena when we encountered them last week, and the Volturi are never going to tell us if we ask them. The best we can do, in my opinion, is to keep our suspicions to ourselves, and report only what we know."

Esme nodded. "Jasper is right. After all, we can't prove anything."

"So what happens now?" asked Alex with a worried glance down at Ever. "We gonna tell them about her?"

"That she is another of Joham's daughters, yes," answered Carlisle. "Demetri and Felix will know with one smell of her scent that she is like Renesmee; they'll know it of Jennifer as well. We'll have no choice but to tell them the truth about the two of them."

"What if…" Jennifer swallowed hard, and I could see she was still very afraid. "What if they want to harm us? Or take us with them?"

"Never gonna happen," growled Seth and Alex in unison.

Sam turned to Jennifer. "As bondmates of our brothers, you are protected as members of the packs. We will defend you if they attempt to take you with them."

Jacob, Mason and Embry all affirmed their agreement.

This time, the mood was broken by Alice, who said, "Well, I for one am just fascinated with Ever's talent. I mean, no one we've ever met has an ability even close to mine, and now we've got someone who can see right now, instead of the future. Her visions might not be affected by the decisions of the individual - they'll simply be about what is, instead of what could be."

"And I am equally intrigued with your gift, Jennifer," said Jasper. "I know we have not had the chance to speak before when you visited, and now hardly seems the time, but the fact that you can read the emotional climate the way I do, yet affect it differently, is also quite fascinating."

"I have not met another who is like me, either," Jennifer said softly. "All my life, I have considered this ability a curse, because of how the fear of the people I fed from affected me. I hated it. I do not want to feel that way ever again."

"If you are true to your vow to abstain from human blood," said Carlisle, "then you will never have to feel such fear again. And in time, you may even be able to see your ability as a gift, one that you can use to help people."

"And Jake's also got a couple of wingmen for life!" Embry said with a snicker. "Seth and Alex are gonna have to be phasing forever right along with him."

"Jealous, Call?" needled Seth.

"Not in the least," Embry returned. "I'm perfectly happy with the girl I've got."

Mason sighed heavily. "I'm a little jealous," he mumbled. "How come Seth and Alex got the girls?"

A few of us laughed, though it was Leland who said what was probably on everyone's mind - especially Carlisle's, given that he was a curious sort.

"There are, as far as we know, only three female vampire hybrids in existence. Right?" He received several nods. "What fascinates me, besides becoming a part of the supernatural myself, is that all three of those girls were imprinted on by shapeshifters. Meaning there was no one else for those boys but them. Am I making any sense?"

"I understand what you're saying," said Carlisle with an eager nod. "And it intrigues me as well that the three girls were intended for wolves instead of vampires, or even humans."

I tuned out of the discussion for a moment, hoping my expression gave nothing away. Though it was almost certain that Edward would hear me, and I tried hard not to let my thoughts wander there, I could not help but think that there might soon be another hybrid female, if Cailin's child was a girl. Would she also be intended for one of the wolves? Or perhaps Cailin would bear the second and last of Joham's sons, at which time the wolves would be safe, for there were no more females.

With about half an hour to go, Alice went up to the attic so that she could try to see the outcome of the Volturi's visit. She didn't like having to go even that far from all of us, but the reason for doing so was because she could not see the future with all the wolves around, nor could she if they were involved - and we most definitely were. Unless she wanted to leave the house altogether, which she refused to do, the attic was as far as she could go to try and use her ability on purpose and still be close to her family.

At first we passed ideas back and forth as to the reason for the visit. Ideas why the three existing hybrid females were destined to be the mates of three shapeshifters (this of course, was not discussed until the younger two were sent into the kitchen for a snack, so that they would not be present for the adult nature of the conversation). Eventually all conversation died off, and we either sat or twitched or paced with nervous anticipation. Then, when an hour had passed from the moment Edward had seen Felix and Demetri in Ever's vision, Renesmee came back from the kitchen carrying the little girl in her arms.

"They're here," Ever said simply.

As she spoke, there was a loud knock on the door. More than one person jumped at the booming sound it made echoing through the house, and as Carlisle rose and went to greet the arrivals, Alex walked over to Renesmee and plucked Ever from her arms. Though it was the first time he had actually held her the baby did not protest; for a reason or reasons I could only imagine, she merely looked at the teen in wide-eyed wonder, then wrapped her little arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. Perhaps, on some instinctual level, Ever knew she would be safe in those arms. Alex, of course, looked like he was on cloud nine.

Jennifer and Seth took places on either side of the pair as Carlisle returned with Felix and Demetri in tow. The crimson-eyed Volturi scanned the room, looking at each and every one of us, their eyes lingering on Jennifer and Ever.

"It would seem there have been additions to your…family, Carlisle," Demetri said slowly. "Would you care to introduce us?"

"Of course," the doctor replied politely, walking over to the group where my brother stood. Demetri and Felix both followed close behind, the latter leering at Bella as he neared her. She smiled back at him, but as soon as he had passed she bared her teeth, and I had no doubt she wished she could hiss at him - or better yet, tear his throat out. I think I'd have gladly helped her do it.

Carlisle introduced Jennifer and Ever. "They are the youngest daughters of Joham, the Chilean vampire who was the father of Nahuel, whom you met two years ago."

"This one is recently…born?" Felix asked disdainfully, gesturing at Ever. From where Leland and I stood by the television, I could see Alex vibrating with outrage at the underlying insult in his words.

Sam stood then. "If you could call it that," he said, not bothering to hide his hostility. On the one hand I wanted to caution him to be careful, but on the other I understood completely where his rush of emotion was coming from. I was feeling it, too, as likely as the other wolves in the room.

"The vampire who sired her kidnapped, raped, and then let die one of our sisters. Because of him, because he continued his quest to create a superior species - _because you failed in your duty to stop him_," Sam went on as they turned to face him, his voice full of hatred as he said the last part, "we also lost one of our brothers."

"Our duty?" Felix sneered, taking a step toward Sam. Demetri stopped his forward motion by grabbing his arm.

"Felix," the tracker said, "_ora non è il tempo. Ricordi le nostre istruzioni_."

The enforcer vampire looked down at his compatriot, and for a moment I think everyone in the room held their collective breaths, waiting for his response.

At last, Felix nodded, though he cast one more murderous glare at Sam, who returned it measure for measure. The Volturi then turned their backs on him, facing Carlisle once more.

"If Joham is their father," began Demetri (it was obvious now that he was the one in charge, or at least in control, of this part of their mission). "Then how did these angelic creatures come to be among you? Surely he did not simply let them go?"

"And how would you know that?" Seth asked in a tightly controlled voice.

Demetri's posture took on an air of nonchalance. "We have been tracking the vampire Joham since our last meeting here," he said. "I must say, he is quite a clever fellow to have eluded me for so long - though we did nearly catch him once."

"_Murderers!_" Jennifer shouted, and only Seth's long, strong arms stopped her from advancing on the two who were most likely her sister's killers.

"Jennifer, calm down," Seth pleaded. "Please."

"Do not tell me to calm down," she growled in response, her teakwood eyes blazing. "These are the men who killed my sister! I know it is them!"

"Oh, you mean that little female we had the pleasure of destroying back in Portugal?" Felix needled. "Made an example of her, we did."

"Is it really necessary to speak that way when your very presence clearly upsets her?" spoke up Esme, rising from the couch and moving to stand next to her husband. "There's no need for verbal attacks, and I remind you that you are a guest in this house. I very much doubt you'd be well received back home were we to speak to Aro of our displeasure at your rude behavior."

I felt my eyes widen - though she had helped to destroy Victoria's army and had stood up for her granddaughter, it was generally accepted that Esme Cullen was a pacifist. She abhorred violence. Yet I couldn't help but think it was brave of her to stand up to Felix that way, blatantly calling him out on his treatment of Jennifer. Threatening to tell on him to his daddy was a stroke of pure genius.

Demetri responded by bowing slightly and offering Esme a beatific smile. "My humblest apologies, Mrs. Cullen, for Felix's shameful actions. It is not our purpose to come here and antagonize your family."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Esme replied.

"Speaking of why you have come," broke in Carlisle, obviously to steer the conversation onto a safer topic (relatively speaking). "To what do we owe the honor of this visit? As you said you were tracking Joham, I assume it is because of him that you have come back to the United States?"

"Indeed," conceded Demitri with a nod. "Our last intelligence report said he was somewhere in this area. You have his youngest daughters with you - one of whom is truly newborn. I presume this means you have encountered Joham and his eldest? Do tell where they are now, that we might at last be done with the unpleasant task of ending his nefarious campaign."

_Nice speech, bloodsucker_, I thought snidely. _Not_.

"Joham and his eldest daughter have been destroyed for the crimes they committed against the shapeshifters," said Edward. "Once again, you have arrived just a little too late, and we have done your job for you."

"Edward," Carlisle admonished lightly, although I think it safe to say that he actually agreed with him. Still, it probably wasn't the best time to say it like that, what with Felix being on an apparently short leash.

Demetri did not acknowledge Edward beyond looking at him with a raised eyebrow. He did, however, return his gaze to Jennifer, who, though unmoving now in the circle of Seth's arms, still blazed fire and brimstone from her brown eyes.

"The question now, I am afraid," he began slowly, "is what to do with these two."

"Nahuel asked Aro to leave his sisters be," Carlisle reminded him. "One you destroyed in their father's place, the other is dead as punishment for her crimes. Joham is destroyed as well - all who were participants in that are here in this room, and will testify to it if need be. The purpose of your mission is already fulfilled, so there is no need for further violence."

"Who said anything about violence?" the red-eyed tracker said, feigning innocence. I saw Edward's eyes narrow out of the corner of my eye, so I knew he'd heard something different in Demetri's mind. "I'm simply wondering if perhaps we ought to take them back to Volterra with us, as evidence of the fulfillment of our quest. I am certain Aro would be most interested in meeting them."

Both Seth and Alex were shooting daggers from their eyes, and they weren't the only ones. Jacob, Embry and Mason flanked Sam on either side, standing ready. I moved forward as well, feeling Leland following close behind, as I went to stand with them. Emmett moved to my other side, as Edward, Bella, Rosalie and Jasper all stood at the other end of our defensive line (Renesmee, I observed, was behind her parents). Felix and Demetri both took in the movements in silence, observing us with raised eyebrows. I really hoped that they were smart enough to realize that they were clearly outnumbered, and that a fight was not in their best interests.

"I do not think that will be necessary," said Carlisle. "Surely my word and the word of my family will be good enough for Aro. If he wishes to speak on this matter further, he is more than welcome to contact me regarding what we know of Joham's activities."

Demetri seemed to consider that a moment, and then nodded slowly. "Certainly, Carlisle. I will be sure to express your sentiments to my master. As you say that the nuisance has been destroyed, then indeed our purpose here is nullified. I do thank you for your assistance in the matter, and for your hospitality this afternoon. If there is nothing else, I believe it is time we were on our way."

Indeed it was, I mused, feeling my wolf snapping her metaphorical jaws. We all watched with wary eyes as the Volturi men turned to Carlisle and Esme, at which point Demetri bowed again. Then they turned back to the line, and he said, "If you would please excuse us, that we may go…"

The line split between Sam and Jacob, moving apart to give them enough space to pass by. Carlisle followed so that he could get the door for them, and as they reached it, Alice came back down the stairs.

"Ah, Alice!" said Felix, smiling as he faced her. "We missed you during the discussion, you know. Our master will be pleased to know that you are well."

"Had things to do," she said blithely, breezing by them as she danced across the room to stand at Jasper's side. The blond vampire snaked an arm protectively around her waist as she turned back to the visitors.

"Oh, but please do tell him I'm thankful for his concern," Alice added.

"Most certainly," said Demetri with a nod, and then he and Felix let Carlisle lead them to the door and show them out.

It was not until Carlisle returned that any of the wolves relaxed, and even then we weren't totally relaxed. At least I wasn't.

"Well, that went…well," said Emmett, and then the tense air was permeated by muted laughter.

"Thank you, big brother, I think we all needed that," I said.

Emmett looked at me with his yellow eyes wide. Then, of course, his expression became trademark Emmett as he grinned and cupped a hand to his ear. "I'm sorry, what was that? I didn't hear you, could you say that again?"

The laughter from the others this time was more relaxed, and even I grinned. We all knew perfectly well that he'd have heard me if I had been standing on the bank of the river behind the house, speaking in a whisper.

"You heard me," I said, then felt my expression sober. "You saved my life, and for that I owe you thanks. I'll be grateful for as long as I live, and if you want to call me sister, I'm not going to argue."

He smiled at me, then looked a little sheepish. "You know, you really don't have to call me your brother or anything if you don't want to."

I shrugged. "I've already got nineteen of them. What's one more?"

Before anyone else could remind us of the fact that the number was eighteen with the death of Collin, I looked at Sam and said, "Collin will always be a brother, so I still count him."

Sam nodded, then looked over at Alex with a sigh. "I will let your father know you won't be home anytime soon," he said.

A smiling Alex shook his head gently, careful not to disturb the little girl he still held. Ever, it so happened, had just fallen asleep with her arms still around his neck. Now that he appeared to feel safe enough, the boy moved over to one of the overstuffed armchairs and slowly lowered himself into it, content to let the baby stay right where she was.

Sam shook his head, then after saying goodbye to Jake and Carlisle and Esme, left through the back door. Mason and Embry turned to Jacob. "You want us to stay a while?" Embry asked.

Jacob waved off his words. "Nah, I think we're good. Go on home. I'll call if anything changes."

The two nodded, and after saying their own goodbyes followed Sam's example and left through the back.

I turned to Leland. "You can go home if you want. Jake's right, I think we're good now. I am sorry I called you away from your work, I just…"

My voice trailed off as he raised a hand to my cheek and smiled at me. "Honey, don't even go there. You know I don't care about that as long as you're safe. You needed me, I came. That's all there is to it. Don't ever hesitate to call me, got it?"

I chuckled. "That's just it, I didn't hesitate," I said, then reached forward and hugged him.

"What about you?" he asked when he released me. "You coming home with me?"

I looked back at Seth and Jennifer, and shook my head. "Not right now. I think we'll probably still take Jennifer hunting, show her the ropes. And I promised Ever she could see my wolf. I'm gonna keep that promise."

"Alright. Walk me out?"

I grinned. "Of course."

I walked with Leland out to the Thunderbird, where we naturally hugged again and kissed. I felt a little tug in my chest as he finally drove away, knowing that there were two hostile vampires in the area (I'd have to ask Edward if he'd picked up any thoughts from them that were about Leland, as I knew he smelled somewhat different to the vampires than the wolves did), but I didn't stop him from going. I had to trust that Demetri and Felix were already well on their way back to Seattle, that no harm would come to him. With a sigh, I turned back for the house…

…and found myself face to face with Demetri.

I stepped back, my eyes darting back and forth to locate Felix' whereabouts. "Where's your partner?" I asked, trying to remain calm, hoping my voice sounded casual. I didn't like being so exposed, where Felix could come to kill me at any moment.

"He is nearby," said the vampire. "I came back because I really wanted to speak with you."

"With me?" I repeated dubiously.

Demetri nodded. "Indeed. You are intimately involved with the Cullens, but somehow I know you will be straightforward with me."

_We'll see about that_, I thought, then added, _Edward, if you're picking up my signal, could you and Emmett and Jake come out here? I'm alone, Demetri's back, and I don't know where Felix is. But be casual about it unless you hear a wolf - don't want to spook him_.

To Demetri I said aloud, "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"First I must ask, she-wolf, is your mate human? He does not smell like a human, nor does he smell like a wolf. He is obviously not a vampire, so I am quite curious, as you can imagine."

His curiosity, I was certain, was not only for his own benefit. I knew that he wanted to be able to report everything he could possibly learn back to Aro - I didn't want to tell him a damn thing about Leland, but as he'd already detected his unique smell, there was really no getting around it. Of course, I didn't have to tell him everything.

"You're right, he's neither fully human nor vampire," I said. "He's a shapeshifter, but his animal form is different from mine."

The vampire's crimson eyes widened. "Oh my, how very intriguing," he said. "Pray tell, what animal is he?"

"He's a raven."

Demetri's brow rose, his curiosity evident. "Most interesting that a wolf and a bird would become mates. But then, it is a strange world we live in, is it not?"

I didn't respond to that. I noticed Edward, Emmett, Jacob, Seth, and Jasper coming out of the house - certainly Demetri knew they were there as well, but he gave no indication of it.

"The other thing I wished to speak with you about is the daughters of Joham," Demetri went on. "What do you know about them?"

I realized with sudden clarity that he was trying to find out if Ever or Jennifer possessed supernatural gifts, though why he thought I would tell him was beyond my comprehension. I knew that I could not tell him about their abilities, especially Ever's, or they would be hunted for the rest of their immortal lives—hunted, no doubt, by Demetri himself. After all, he knew what they smelled like, so he would be able to find them anywhere.

I didn't think it wise to outright lie to him, but obviously I couldn't tell him the whole truth. No matter what I said, Aro would know every word just by touching Demetri's hand. I decided to try a bluff, or at least a partial one.

"Not much, I'm afraid," I answered. "Truth is, I fought with Joham before the others destroyed him and was so severely injured I almost died. Spent the last week in a coma, until yesterday. This is the first day I've really spent any significant amount of time with either one of them."

Demetri raised his eyebrows. "Really? I must say, you seem inordinately spry for someone who spent a week in a coma."

"What can I say?" I retorted with a nonchalant shrug. "It's a shapeshifter thing."

"Indeed," Demetri mused. "And the two girls?"

"They've spent the last week with the Cullens being introduced to animal blood," I said. It wasn't a complete lie, and I felt pretty confident that nothing in my expression or body language gave away what I had not said about Jennifer's emotion-altering gift or Ever's now-sight. As long as I was vague regarding what I knew about them, they would be safe.

There was also the fact that the Volturi didn't know as much about the wolves as we knew about them, and I knew it was definitely a good idea to keep it that way. If I said anything about Seth's and Alex's attachment to the girls, Demetri would know I wasn't being completely honest with him. Aro would have learned about imprinting from the memories he'd seen in Edward the last time they touched, but it was possible he didn't really understand just how deeply each wolf was bound to his mate. Were they to learn of this, all they would have to do to pick us off one by one was to kill our imprints. I would not be manipulated into becoming the instrument of my own destruction again.

"I see," Demetri said slowly, regarding me with an expression I could not decipher. "Then what, may I ask, is your connection to them, beyond the fact that their father is, as you say, responsible for the deaths of a brother and a sister?"

"Neither Jennifer nor Ever did anything wrong," I told him, and I found to my surprise that it was not difficult to say. Ever, of course, was truly innocent, though Jennifer _had_ taken part. But she had, I reluctantly admitted, been forced. Her actions were not of her own volition - she had acted out of fear for her own safety, and even I had to acknowledge that faced with the formidable personalities of her father and sisters, I could see why she hadn't been able to leave them.

"The wolves and the Cullen family are friends," I went on. "We are here to help make sure the girls' transition from human blood to animal blood goes smoothly."

"Protecting the nearby human community from their vampire madness?" Demetri said with a laugh. "How very quaint. I'll be sure to tell my master how diligently your wolves and the Cullens are protecting the secrets of both societies."

"It is in both our best interests to keep what we are from becoming known," I reminded him.

"Indeed it is," Demetri acknowledged with a nod. He then turned and looked at the five men casually draped about the porch - or so it appeared. I'm pretty sure Demetri could tell as well as I that they weren't simply standing there for the sake of doing so, and were in fact ready to strike should he make a move against me.

Still, he seemed to act as though surprised to see them, and he addressed the three he knew. "Edward, Jasper, Emmett… I just had a few more questions, and your friend here has been most helpful."

"Then your presence here is no longer required," Jasper said in a manner that clearly stated it was past time for Demetri to leave.

From where I was standing, I could see a muscle in the Volturi vampire's jaw twitch, though amazingly, he didn't react with hostility. He simply nodded, bade the men goodbye, and then looked at me.

"Until we meet again, She-wolf," Demetri said, and by the time I had blinked, he was gone.


	25. Chapter 24

**24. The Beta and the Bear**

Emmett and Seth were by my side the instant Demetri had disappeared.

"You alright, sis?" Seth asked me. "He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"Leland will go spastic when he hears about this," added Emmett.

I shook my head, feeling the rush of adrenaline start to ebb. "No, he never touched me or anything. I just didn't like not knowing where the other one was."

I looked between the five of them and said, "Thank you all for coming out to my rescue, even though it wasn't necessary after all."

Jasper merely nodded, as Edward said, "I'm just glad only the show of force was necessary. Still makes me wonder why they sent only two, but…" He shrugged.

"Maybe it's because they knew it would be pointless to send that Jane chick and her twisted brother, because Bella would simply use her shield thing to protect us," Jacob suggested.

Jasper's eyebrows rose as he digested this. "An interesting viewpoint, and quite possibly true," he said.

"From what I gathered," added Edward, "they really were here just to learn as much as they could. That line Demetri spoke in Italian was 'Now is not the time. Remember our instructions.' They were to destroy Joham if they found him still in the area, but that doesn't mean he wasn't working for them. If he was, they either were not privy to that information or were extremely careful not to think about it."

"And that line about not wanting violence?" Seth scoffed. "That was a joke, right?"

Edward nodded. "Indeed. Felix, as we all saw, was more than willing to take on one or all of us - he thought he could win based on strength alone. Although he did also consider the fact that he was outnumbered, and thus had determined to take as many of us down as possible before being subdued. I was subjected to several gruesome thoughts regarding precisely how he wished he could tear Sam in particular apart for being so insolent."

I raised an eyebrow. "Insolent? And his behavior was any better?" I questioned rhetorically.

"As for Demetri," Edward went on, "he certainly wouldn't have minded a fight, either, but he was wise enough to know that they had no chance of winning a battle when it was just the two of them against our numbers. He also wanted very much to take Jennifer and Ever back with them so that Aro could learn if they had any powers - which was why he returned to question the first person he saw. Leah just happened to be unlucky enough to draw that number."

"Naturally he waited until Leland left and I was alone," I said sardonically.

"Of course. The better to catch you off your guard," said Jasper.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," I muttered as I started toward the house at last.

Jasper grinned. "That would be Major Obvious, Miss Clearwater."

I stuck out my tongue at him, and all five of the men laughed as we entered the house.

* * *

><p>Another hour passed before those of us going on the hunt felt safe enough to venture out - not that we were afraid, per se, just that no one liked the feeling we were being spied on. When we finally left the house again, there wasn't one of us who wasn't looking left and right and back again for any sign of Demetri or Felix. Ever was still napping in Alex's arms (he had actually nodded off, too), so we could not ask her to see what they were doing. Plus, Jennifer said she felt bad about using her sister that way when she was so young. Alice had then spoken of getting impressions of the future but no clear visions, which really meant she wasn't seeing anything. That didn't mean we weren't safe, but it didn't mean we weren't in danger, either, so we were all determined to be extra careful.<p>

The ease and comfort with which I changed into my animal form just inside the line of trees out back had me dancing around once I was a wolf. I realized I had truly come full circle, because I didn't feel strange, didn't feel like a freak, didn't feel any different. I still felt like me, just a more dangerous me.

I'd just been too bullheaded to realize it before.

_Hey sis - wanna see how good my girl is at taking down a buck?_

I swung my head in the direction of Seth's mental voice. He and Jennifer were approaching me, she somewhat behind him as they neared. Jacob, Nessie, Edward and Bella were also coming into the woods then. None of the vampires, I'd been told, were really in need, but they all felt that the more they went out and supported Jennifer's efforts, the more confident she would become in her choice to switch from humans to animals for blood. There was also the fact that the more she practiced catching animals, the better she would become, and the sooner it would be second nature to her.

My eyes lifted to Jennifer. _Let's see what she can do_, I replied to Seth, then turned and sprinted deeper into the woods. Two deep, wolfish yelps met my challenge, and I could hear the pounding thuds of their paws on the ground.

_She's really not that bad_, Jake said. _A bit messy, like Bells was when she first went bloodsucker, but not too bad_.

_Jennifer's been, uh, hunting for almost twenty years. Only difference is the, um, prey_, Seth said.

_Yeah, animals don't put up as much fight, unless they're natural predators_, I returned darkly.

_Aw, come on, Leah. Give her a chance_, my brother pleaded.

_You brought it up, Seth._

_She's got you there, bro_, Jacob pointed out.

_Look_, I said with a quick glance over my shoulder at Seth's wolf on my right side. _It still rubs me funny that you imprinted on one of the leeches that took part in what happened to Sierra and Cailin and me, and who knows how many other women who didn't get pregnant. But I figure there has to be a reason for it. Maybe you're not just her soul mate, but meant to save her soul, or some such metaphorical nonsense_.

_No one better suited for something like that than the happy little punk_, Jacob mused.

_Ha ha, Jake_, Seth grumbled. _So you gonna give her a chance, Leah? Jen really is a good person at heart, I just know she is. Edward's read her mind, too, and says there's a lot of turmoil in there. She's sorry for all the bad stuff she's done and wants to make up for it_.

_She better be good to you_, I said.

_Did you mean it when you said you would kill her if she betrayed me?_

I felt Jacob's surprise at this. _You really said that?_

I nodded. _Even if it means I have to fight my own brother until one of us is dead, I will kill her if she betrays him_, I said. _I'm sorry, Seth, I know that you don't want to hear that. And I know that trust in our imprints, and the imprints of our brothers, is supposed to be inherent, but I just can't help fearing that someday she's going to break your heart. I don't think it's just because she's part vampire, either. It's because of what she's done_.

_It's because of what she's done to_ you, Seth said.

_Yes, it is_, I admitted. _I never have been one to forgive easily. Look how long it's taken me to admit I like even a few of Jake's future in-laws_.

_You comforted her when she was upset earlier_, Seth pointed out. _You stood up for Jennifer when Demetri came back and questioned you about her. Edward said so_.

I stopped abruptly and turned to face my brother. _Did you think I was just gonna turn her over to them? Do you think I'm that heartless?_

Seth back-stepped a few paces. _No, of course not. I'm just a little surprised, I guess, because obviously you still don't like her_.

_Seth, she helped her sister kidnap Sierra and Cailin. She helped her kidnap me - she watched Serena break Collin Littlesea's neck. She might well be sorry for all that, but just because she hates herself for it doesn't mean it's gonna be easy for me to forgive her. At the same time, it also doesn't mean I'm so full of hate for what she's done that I would subject her or an innocent child to the cruelty of the Volturi. You are just going to have to accept that it is going to take me some time to get used to her being a part of our lives_.

My brother sighed. _Alright. I won't push it. But just so you know…I think I love her already. Is that even possible?_

I could feel my expression soften, and I took a few steps forward. _Yeah, it's possible_, I said. _I loved Leland the moment I looked into his eyes and felt myself fall_.

_Good grief_, Jacob said with humor in his tone. _Okay, we've settled that Leah's gonna need time to get used to her future sister-in-law being a reformed killer vampire, and that Seth's a lovesick puppy. Can we go hunting now?_

Seth and I both looked at Jake as the vampires caught up to us. It occurred to me that they had run slower than usual in order to give us some privacy for our conversation, and I felt grateful for that - even if Edward had still heard every word.

I found that Seth was right about Jennifer - she really wasn't that bad a hunter. The seven of us stalked a herd of deer that we came across, and she took down the buck without much trouble. Her expression as she drank from him did make me laugh, though, because it made me think of someone who had tasted something bitter. She kept at it though, draining the six-pointer and even thanking him for his sacrifice, which I thought was a little strange, but nice at the same time. Only the vampires and Jacob fed during the hunt, because it was something he was used to. I'd learned to eat as a wolf, but still didn't quite have the stomach for it. I was getting hungry, but was content to wait until I was human again before I ate.

When we returned to the Cullen house some time later, we found Alex and Ever waiting for us at the tree line. The baby clapped her hands gleefully as the three of us who were wolves emerged, and she turned to Alex and said, "Take me to Leah. I want my Auntie Leah!"

His face was a comical mixture of expressions. He looked like he was deathly afraid to bring her anywhere near me, yet he also managed to look like he was blissfully ready to do whatever she asked of him.

"Come on, Alex!" Ever said, and with a shake of his head, he started toward me.

I sat on my haunches as they neared, cocking my head to one side as Alex knelt in front of me with Ever in his arms. The baby looked at me, studying my features, I think, and then said, "You're a pretty wolfie."

I smiled as well as a wolf can smile, then leaned forward and touched my nose to hers. Ever giggled again and squealed with delight, turning back to Alex with a huge grin. "Now you! Now you!"

Alex grinned as well, gently setting Ever down on the ground as he stood. "I am a man of my word, little lady," he said as he headed for the trees to disrobe and change form. He turned back just before he passed a huge oak, saying, "By the way, Leah, Leland called and wanted to know if you guys were back yet, 'bout twenty minutes ago. He wants you to come by his place when you're done here."

My eyes widened, and I looked at Edward, who was still standing nearby with his family. _He didn't tell him about Demetri did he?_ I asked silently.

Edward turned to Alex and repeated my question. "Heck no!" Alex replied, his eyes widening. "I'm not crazy enough to risk getting torn apart by either one of them, thanks!"

I sighed with relief. Jacob and Seth both chortled a wolfish laugh while Edward and Bella grinned. Jennifer smiled shyly and the two little girls just looked at us all like they couldn't figure out what the heck was so funny.

With another sigh, I stood_. I better get moving. I'm gonna hear it myself when I tell him_, I said mentally to no one in particular, then looked down at Ever. _Be good, kid_, I thought, even though she couldn't hear me. Touching my nose to hers again, I turned back for the woods and went off in search of my clothes. I heard Edward repeating my message to Ever as I trotted away, and felt Seth's gratitude through the mental link. He was happy that Ever, at least, I seemed to like just fine.

* * *

><p>After putting my clothes back on, I returned to the Cullen house one last time to say a proper goodbye to my brother and some of the others, then got in my car and drove back to the reservation. I pulled in beside the Thunderbird when I reached Leland's house, my eyebrows winging up in curiosity to see another vehicle parked on the other side of Branson's Bronco.<p>

Leland came out of the house as I was getting out of my car, looking like he'd just gotten out of the shower. His hair was down, still clinging wetly to his back through the t-shirt he wore, and when he hugged me (I so wished I had thought to take a shower myself before coming over) I could smell the woodsy scent of his aftershave. I loved that smell.

"Ugh, get off me, I'll ruin you," I said, pushing him away. "You're all clean and fresh, and I smell like an animal that's been running around in the woods."

Leland grinned. "Babe, you _are_ an animal that's been running around in the woods. But if you want to take a shower, you know I've got some sweats you can wear, unless you want to go home and clean up."

"I should have done that first," I said. "But since I do love the way your clothes smell like you, I might take you up on that offer - so long as you behave yourself and don't try to sneak in."

He laughed. "Hey, I swore I'd be good until we get married, remember?"

I raised an eyebrow, then lifted my bare left hand and wiggled the fourth digit. "Who said we were getting married? I don't see a ring on this finger."

The way his face fell made me want to laugh, but it also made me feel bad because I hadn't meant to hurt him with my joke. "Lee, I was kidding," I said, grabbing his hands and giving them a squeeze.

Leland just stared, then said, "Alright, I see how you are. Don't be surprised if there's coal in your stocking this Christmas instead of what I was planning to get you."

It was my turn to stare as he shrugged and walked away from me. I jogged after him, though when I grabbed his arm and turned him toward me he was smiling.

I had to laugh. "Oh, we are a pair, aren't we?"

He laughed as well, throwing an arm around my shoulders and leading me toward the house. I put my arm around his waist and steered him away from it, toward the woods behind it.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"There's something I need to tell you," I said. "Something other people can't hear."

Leland glanced at the house as we passed by. "Gotcha. By the way, Shalayne might be in a better mood soon. Branson's daughter Aitana showed up today. They're as tight as sisters. Maybe mine will cool down now."

"We hope so," I muttered in agreement.

I waited until we had passed into the woods behind the house before I spoke, telling him about Demetri's impromptu question and answer session after he'd left. Emmett had been right about Leland going spastic when he heard - he jerked away from me, trembling violently with the urge to phase.

"Leland!" I said sharply, and he looked at me with wild eyes. "You can't change form right now, honey. I know you want to, and I understand the feeling, believe me. But you have to maintain. Branson and Shalayne and Aitana are just a few hundred feet away, and they will hear you. Not to mention it will look mighty funny for me to go into your house to get clothes for you to wear when you just got out of the shower."

He continued to stare at me, his broad shoulders rising and falling with each heavy, shallow breath. After several long minutes, his breathing slowed to normal, and he reached for me. I went willingly into his arms.

"I don't know how you do it," he said into my hair.

"Do what, Lee?"

"Keep me calm. When I feel like I'm about to lose control and change, I think about you. It's a lot easier if I have you to look at, like just now. But you help keep me grounded, and I keep my cool. It's amazing."

He pulled back and looked at me, a smile in his eyes and on his face. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"You've told me, I think, but have you shown me?" I teased, and got just the desired reaction when he leaned down and kissed me.

The kiss was interrupted by a crashing sound in the woods. Leland and I broke apart, each of us looking for the source of what sounded like an animal careening through the trees, and were soon rewarded with the sight of a grizzly bear headed straight for us.

Fear and adrenaline raced through me for the second time that day. I wondered where the bear had come from, as we almost never saw them in our woods - at least not so near (or on) the reservation, because they tended to shy away from populated areas. It had to be a loner.

Leland pushed me behind him. "I'll distract it, and you run when I tell you to," he said.

"What the hell do you mean distract it?" I asked. "Leland, it's a freaking bear!"

"I'll go raven," he replied tersely as the bear stopped and reared up on its hind legs, roaring at us. "Looks like I got no choice now."

"Then I'm going wolf right along with you," I said as we both backed away slowly.

"Leah, just go. I'll run it off."

I grabbed hold of his arm. "No. I will not leave you to face this bear by yourself. You cannot ask me to do that."

"You left me to face that damned vampire by yourself," he reminded me.

"I didn't go by myself, if you'll recall, and look what happened. You needed help to face them even when you were there, and why in the world are we arguing about this now?"

The bear stepped forward and roared again.

"Leah, please. I don't want you to get hurt again when I just got you back."

"And I don't want to make the same mistake twice," I replied. "We stay together or we leave together. Deal?"

Just then, there were more crashing sounds in the woods, and I wondered if there was another bear, or if one of the wolves had heard this one and had come to see what was going on. Instead, I saw Shalayne, of all people, running at the bear from behind.

"Get away from my brother, you stupid bear!" she screamed.

"Shalayne, no!" Leland shouted.

And then Leland and I (and possibly even the bear) were shocked when the running girl suddenly wasn't there anymore; her skin and clothes burst out in all directions and in the girl's place was a huge white wolf.

_Mom was right - the wolf spirit won this battle_, I thought with wonder.

_And I'm not alone anymore_.

I did not get to dwell long on the sudden awe I felt at knowing I was no longer the only female wolf in the tribe. Right now, Leland and I were faced with a rampaging bear and a newly "born" shapeshifter, the latter of which was suddenly less angry than the girl she had been seconds ago. The confusion of her first transformation had just settled in, and she yelped in fear. Backing away, her head swinging left and right, the huge, menacing wolf was suddenly very afraid.

"Well, you got your wish, stud - you get to deal with the bear," I said. "I've got the wolf."

Without waiting for his reply, I backed away from him and phased, and it occurred to me that I was definitely going to have to borrow his clothes now.

_What is this? What's happened to me? What's going on? This isn't right, this isn't right! What's happened to me?_

Shalayne had been too frightened to see my own transformation. Her fear was powerful in my mind, nearly overwhelming. There were other voices as well - Mason and Mikah were insanely curious as to what was going on. I heard Jake and Seth too, and knew they were still in wolf form. But I forced all their voices aside and concentrated as I stepped forward, all my focus on her.

_Shalayne, listen to me. Honey, it's Leah, listen to my voice_, I said firmly.

The white wolf swung its head in my direction, and I noted the widening of her eyes as she took in what she saw. I hated to shock her more, but I had no choice.

_Ohmygod, not you too! What is this? What's happening?_

_Shalayne, you're a shapeshifter. You come from an ancient line of tribal warriors on both sides of your family, honey,_ I told her. _On both sides, those warriors became animals to protect their tribes from vampires_.

_Vampires aren't real!_ she shouted in my head. _That's crazy!_

_No crazier than you becoming a wolf, girlfriend_, said Mason.

_What's she look like, Leah?_ asked Mikah.

_Cool it, guys_, Jacob said, and I got the sense that he was running - probably toward me and Shalayne. _Leah's got this_.

I was grateful for his confidence in me, but was not able to dwell on that either as Shalayne's fear ratcheted up a notch. _Who are they? What are those voices? Why do I hear voices in my head? Am I going crazy? What's happening to me?_

I stepped closer, saying, _Shalayne, listen to me. There's a lot about this world you didn't know. Part of what you didn't know is that some myths are not really myths. That includes shapeshifters and vampires. I know it's a lot to take in -_

I was interrupted when yet one more person appeared, this time Branson, who obviously had followed Shalayne out of the house. This was also when the bear snapped out of its stunned trance and started lumbering toward me (only about thirty seconds or so had passed since Shalayne's transformation … I think).

"Aitana Mother of Bears Greatwood, you stop right there!"

Branson's shout had me looking back at the bear. I heard Leland inhale sharply and say "What?" at the same time the white wolf that was his sister yelped, and in my head I heard her say, _What the - no way that's Aitana! She said she was walking down to the village store!_

The bear roared again. Branson ignored all common sense and walked right up to it. "Aitana, you are _not_ going to do this. I forbid it. Killing her will not change anything, and you will dishonor the reason the Great Bear Spirit gave you this form."

Killing her? Killing whom? I wondered, and then it hit me - she'd come toward me, which meant Shalayne's best friend wanted me dead. But why?

"Oh no," Leland muttered from my left, and I looked at him. I wished he had changed forms so I could hear what he was thinking. So I could ask him if he knew why Aitana wanted to kill me when she'd never even met me.

_It's Lee_, came a much calmer Shalayne in my mind. I looked back at her, and saw that her wolf was standing warily off to the side, watching Branson as he confronted the bear. _Aitana's been in love with my brother since we were kids. She always said she'd have him one day_.

_Oh my_, I thought. _I think I get it now, but she has no idea what killing me would do to him_.

_What are you talking about?_

I glanced at Branson, who stood nearly toe-to-toe with the bear, which in turn was staring back down at him. To Shalayne I said, _There's something that happens with shapeshifters called imprinting. Not like wild animal imprinting, though. When it happens to us, it's our body's way of telling us we've met our soul mate. It's also known as pair-bonding now, thanks to Cailin McTiernan. You met her at your grandfather's wake. Leland and I are bonded to each other in a two-way bond. Killing me could kill him_.

Shalayne was silent for a moment, and we all watched the silent stand-off between father and daughter. Aitana had still not changed form.

_Leah?_

I looked at Shalayne. _Yeah?_

She looked at me. _I'm not dreaming, am I?_

I shook my head. _'Fraid not, sister_.

_You're gonna tell me everything, right? All about this myths and legends stuff - you're gonna explain it to me, right, so I don't go crazy? _

I walked over to her as Mikah and Mason appeared in wolf form, along with Paul, Johnny, Drake and Brady. The presence of six more monstrous wolves was apparently the final straw for Aitana, who roared one more time and a moment later had shrank down into her normal human form, falling against her father's chest in tears, her eyes on Leland. Lee jerked his t-shirt off and carried it over so that Branson could pull it over her head and cover her naked form.

_Don't either of you say a word!_ I warned Mikah and Mason. _No comments about this to anyone until we get the whole story, you hear?_

_Leah, I'm on my way. You'll explain when I get there?_ came Jacob's voice as the twins murmured their agreement to my command.

_Roger that, Jake_, I replied. _Soon as I get the info, I'll make sure you do_.

_Okay_, Jake said a moment later._ Sam's in wolf form, but he's staying near home because of Emily being so close to giving birth and all. He's hearing my thoughts and knows you're gonna get the whole story and report back. And he's already told Paul and the others to keep their lips zipped_.

_Good. I'll get back to you, Jake_.

_Leah? I heard their voices_, Shalayne said. _Jacob and Mikah and Mason…and you. That's… Is that normal for this?_

I nodded, _Yes, it is. It's a form of telepathy. You've heard the term pack mentality? Well this takes it to the extreme_.

_You're gonna explain everything, right?_ she asked me again.

_Yes, sweetie, I'll explain everything. I promise you that_.

"Branson, I think you have a lot of explaining to do, old friend," Leland was saying at that moment.

"Yes, Crow Song," said the Lakota elder. "There is, apparently, much to discuss."

Branson murmured soothingly to his sobbing daughter as he began to lead her back toward the house. Sam's pack turned back into the woods one by one, until only Paul was left. He came over to me and looked me in the eyes like he was trying to tell me something. I could only guess that he was trying to get me to understand that he wanted to hear the whole story, or maybe that he was jealous that the second female wolf might well be joining Jacob's pack. But just because she could hear me right now, could hear Jacob and the others, didn't mean anything. Once everything had been explained to her, Shalayne might well decide to join Sam's pack for all we knew. I felt certain the only reason she was listening to me at all was because I was the first wolf on the scene when she'd changed.

After another moment of staring, Paul nodded his head once, looked at Shalayne, and then took off. I looked at Mikah and Mason. _Alright, Wonder Twins - scram_, I told them_. I think it will be easier for our new sister to deal with the information overload if she's not being overwhelmed by having so many wolves around_.

The twins were reluctant to go, I could feel, but nevertheless, they too turned and trotted back into the woods. I looked up at Leland, wishing I could speak to him. He walked over to us, looking me in the eye much as Paul had done, then patted me on the head between my wolfish ears.

"Take care of my sister," he said simply. "And come home soon, so we can all talk."

I nodded, and then he turned to Shalayne. "I wish I could have protected you from all this," he told her. "But if I've learned anything, it's that you can't stop what's meant to be from happening. We are what we are for a reason, and I must admit that you make one beautiful animal. Just like my girl Leah - both of you are beautiful whether woman or wolf."

_He's not afraid?_ Shalayne queried. _Why isn't he afraid? Don't tell me it's some macho male crap_.

I chuckled silently while at the same time trying not to think of how hot her brother looked with no shirt on, as Leland patted her on the head then started back toward the house. _No, Leland is not afraid, and it isn't just macho male crap. His wanting to protect you was, but that's just Lee being an overprotective big brother_.

_He always was_, she replied. _Even when Mom and Dad were here, he was always so protective. Almost stiflingly so at times. Our parents were constantly telling him to let me grow up on my own_.

She looked at me then. _Is my brother a wolf, too?_

_No. Leland takes after your mother's side of the family. His animal form is a raven_.

Her eyes widened. _You're telling me that my brother turns into a bird?_ she asked incredulously.

_Yep, sure does_, I replied_. You could have been a raven just as easily, I suspect, but the spirits of our ancestors apparently had other plans for you_.

_Yeah, apparently_, she scoffed, turning her head back and forth to get a look at her new body. _Hey, I'm white. White wolves are considered special by some tribes, almost as special as the white buffalo is to the Lakota._

_Sam's all black. We've always wondered why. _

She looked at me. _Sam Uley? Our cousin?_

I nodded. _Indeed. He could have been a raven too, come to think of it, unless the reason he isn't is because the Haida blood he inherited was from a woman, and the genes are passed through men like they are with us_. _Of course, that's how your brother got it too, so who knows? Maybe Sam's black coat is the raven's contribution._

_Leah, how did this happen? How did any of this happen?_

I sighed, and sat on my haunches. Shalayne did the same, and for a moment was fascinated by the fact that she was sitting down like a dog. When that momentary wonder passed, she looked at me, eagerly awaiting my explanation.

I told her everything that I knew - all the Quileute legends, the Haida raven myth, all of it. She listened intently, not saying anything until I had finished.

_So … the Cullens are vampires? They drink blood?_

_Animal blood. They're holding on to what's left of their humanity by not killing people for food. Admirable, once you get past the fact that they drink blood to live. It's taken me years, but that's a story for another day_.

_And you said … you said you and my brother have a two-way bond?_ Shalayne asked. _What does that mean?_

_When Leland asked your cousin Meiko if the Haida legend was true, he found out that raven shapeshifters also imprint, but they do it differently than our wolves. Ravens apparently imprint just before they change for the first time, not after, like wolves do. We imprint the first time we see our destined mate after_ _our first change_. _So when Lee and I met … that was it for both of us._

_Will I imprint? Will one of the other wolves imprint on me?_

I considered her questions carefully. _If what we believe about imprinting is true, most likely you will at some point. I don't think one of the others will imprint on you, though. You've met all of them, and no one's showed any particular interest_.

An idea struck me then, and I couldn't believe that I had never considered it before.

_Leah, what is it? You're thinking too fast for me to follow_, Shalayne said.

_Sorry_, I said sheepishly. _It's just that … Well, I was just wondering if the reason none of the others have imprinted on you is because you weren't a wolf yet. Maybe when bondmates are both shapeshifters, they have to both be changed, or near to changing, to bond. I don't know_.

She dropped her head low. _Ugh, this is all so weird. I feel weird in this body. I feel like a freak now, like something is wrong with me_.

_Hey, I know how you feel - more than anyone. For the last three years, I was the only female wolf in the packs. The first one_ ever. _As much as it would have been great if you weren't meant to be a shapeshifter, I can't help feeling relieved that I'm not the only one anymore_.

_I'm never going to be normal again, am I?_

_You'll be as normal as you want, once you learn to control your temper and not phase at the slightest irritation. You could also look at it this way: Being born a shapeshifter, you were never normal to begin with_.

_Thanks a lot_, she said with a huff. _I get to change back, though, right? I mean, obviously I've seen the others as boys, so I'll get to be a girl again?_

I tried not to laugh. _Of course. You just have to concentrate on what it felt like to phase, and eventually you'll change back. For some of us, it was easy the first time. Others it took time to figure it out. Eventually, you'll be able to do it just by thinking about it_.

As I spoke, Shalayne stared off into the distance, and then suddenly there was not a wolf, but a girl huddled before me.

"Ugh, I'm naked now! How am I going to walk into the house like this? I can't let my brother see me naked! That's gross!"

I had to laugh then, the sound going from wolfish grunts to human laughter as I changed form myself. "I probably should have told you to wait," I said, stifling my laughter when she looked at me sourly. "We can walk to the house like this, or we can phase again and walk back as wolves. No doubt Leland has laid clothes out for us."

"Well, thank goodness for that," Shalayne muttered. "I couldn't stand it if I had to streak into the house past Branson and Lee without any clothes on. Neither of them has seen me naked since I was two."

She shuddered. "I don't think I want to walk back like this. The boys will see me naked if any of them are still around, and I'm not ready for that."

"I get that too," I said with a sympathetic smile. "Phasing into wolf form is the same as phasing into human form. You concentrate on what it feels like, and then it happens."

Shalayne nodded, and I could see that she was concentrating again. It took her a little longer to become the snowy white wolf than it had to become the girl, but she got there, and then I changed back into my wolf form. We walked leisurely back to Whistler Cottage, during which time she peppered me with more questions, and I patiently explained things to her again.

When the house came into sight, the tenor of her thoughts changed. _Aitana… She's a bear. _

_I noticed._

_She wanted to kill you._

_Noticed that, too_.

Shalayne turned to me. _Leah, she's a good person, please believe that. Maybe finding out she was a bear drove her crazy or something. She would never try to kill somebody, not really_.

_You said she's been in love with your brother since you were kids?_

Shalayne nodded. _Yeah. Always swore he'd be hers some day_.

_Then she sees me as the competition. It's not necessarily the bear that's warped her mind. I hate to say this, but obsession is a mental illness far too common in normal humans_.

_I know, I just… I can't believe she wanted to kill you_.

Resignation and worry permeated her thoughts and we came closer to the back of the house, where we found two piles of clothes. Shalayne looked at me, wondering how we were going to pick them up, and I showed her the simplest way - I grabbed Leland's sweats in my mouth and trotted back into the woods to change. Shalayne followed my example, and after another few minutes of concentration, she was a teenage girl once more and hurrying into her clothes. I changed and put on the gray sweatpants and shirt Leland had provided, and then we walked into the house through the back door.

Leland and Branson were at the kitchen table. The former stood and greeted us, coming over to give us each a hug in turn. "I was beginning to wonder what was keeping you," he said.

"I had to explain a few things," I told him.

Leland looked down at his sister. "Baby sis, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"I wish I could have protected you from all of this. That you didn't have to go through this. It has not been a picnic, let me tell you."

"Leland," she said, and stood so she could look into his eyes. "We're orphans. Our mother and father are dead - nothing could be worse than that."

He nodded slowly, and drew her into his arms again. After a moment, Shalayne drew back. "You smell funny."

Leland looked at me, and I nodded. He sighed. "It's a raven thing. Or maybe a shapeshifter thing. We smell different afterward. Just wait 'til you get a whiff of vampire."

"Leah," Branson said then, rising from the table. "I would like to apologize for my daughter's abominable behavior."

I looked around. "Where is she?" I asked.

"Aitana is resting in Shalayne's room," he said. "I have explained to her that when she is more herself, she is to come and apologize to you in person."

"Branson, what happened to her?" I asked. "She's not… She's not mentally ill, is she?"

Branson sighed. "No, but I can see why you would ask. I have explained things to Crow Song, now I will explain them to you."

He gestured toward the table, where we all sat down. Shalayne mentioned being famished, and I realized I still hadn't eaten any lunch. Leland jumped up and began to gather sandwich makings for the two of us and I told Shalayne she was going to be eating a lot more from now on. She groaned and whined until I added that her figure wouldn't change that much - though she would be stronger and have more muscle tone - because a shapeshifter's metabolism was like a furnace; she just needed a greater caloric intake to replace what she lost phasing back and forth. Then Branson told us his story.

His particular Lakota tribe had been led by men as most Native American tribes were, until centuries ago when the chief had passed away, leaving the leadership open because he had no sons. His wife wished to challenge tradition so that she could take her husband's place as chief, but did not have the power to do so, until she prayed with all her heart to the Great Bear Spirit. The Great Bear Spirit was venerated by the tribe as the earthly form of God at one time, he explained, and seeing that she wished only to do what was best for her people, she was blessed with the ability to take the form of a bear in order to prove that she could indeed protect them from harm.

The tribe prospered under her leadership, and knew little trouble from human enemies. But then, of course, blood fiends from the white colonies began to venture across the country. They attacked and killed without mercy, and the chieftess was forced to call upon the spirit of the bear to defend her tribe. She had married again by this time, and had borne children. Her daughters became bears as well, and together they fought the invasion of the blood fiends, tearing them to pieces and burning them to ash. Each time a new group of blood fiends would try to harm the tribe, daughters of her daughters would become bears and drive them away.

"So only girls become bears?" Shalayne asked.

"Yes, thus far, only females have ever become the Great Bear. After all, female grizzlies are known to be among the fiercest protectors of their cubs," Branson said.

"Up until three years ago, only men had become wolves in our tribe," I said. "Now there are two females."

"Yes, the world is changing quickly," mused the older man.

"Do bear shapeshifters imprint?" Shalayne wanted to know.

Branson looked between Leland and me. "Yes," he said quietly. "But it is different than what Crow Song has described to me about wolves and ravens. Our bears are similar to their wild cousins, in that they must reach a certain age after becoming a bear for the first time."

I thought about that, and vaguely remembered a biology class in which we had discussed bears. "Female grizzlies reach sexual maturity at five years of age," I said slowly. "Are you saying your bears have to be phasing for five years before they imprint?"

Branson nodded. "They must be at an age where they can bear young. That is what we believe."

Shalayne's expression was incredulous. "But … but that would mean Aitana's been a bear since she was twelve! She never said a word to me!"

"She was not allowed to speak of it. Crow Song tells me there are similar strictures among the Quileute and Haida as well, regarding secrecy," Branson told her. He then sighed. "Aitana has admired Crow Song for many years, so much so that she believed he was her destined mate. But I knew the moment I came here and saw the two of you together that she was wrong. I could see that he was very much in love with you, Leah, and though I did not know of the wolves or the ravens at that time, I somehow knew that it meant Aitana would be greatly disappointed. She believed that if you were taken out of the equation, then Leland would be free for her, and that she would imprint on him. She ought to have known it would not work. It has been five years, and she has seen him with her human eyes, and nothing has changed."

Though she had followed us into the woods to kill me and take Leland for herself, I felt my heart soften toward Aitana. We were alike, in a way, both of us having loved a man who could not love us back - at least, not in the way that we wanted.

"Do you think it would be alright if I go talk to her?" Shalayne asked. "Is it … safe? For both of us, I mean. I don't want to hurt her any more than she would want to hurt me."

Branson looked to Leland and me. "Aitana has been changing for many years. She will not harm Shalayne, who is as a sister to her."

Leland looked at me. "What about Shalayne?" he asked.

I looked at him, noting his concern. Then I looked at Shalayne. "Your temperament is going to be very unstable for the next couple months. The mildest irritation could set you off, and anyone near you could get hurt. I think you'll be okay - both you and your brother have proven to be rather remarkable at accepting what you are. Still, it's best to be cautious. If you feel yourself getting irritated or angry, walk away from her. Come back out here and sit with us, or if you feel the need, go outside and go wolf for a while. Spending time in animal form is a great way to vent your frustrations. Just make sure you stay away from the main village, because not everyone here knows the legends are true, and we're quite a bit bigger than your average wolf."

Shalayne nodded and rose from the table after scarfing down the last bite of her second sandwich. She also finished off the milk she'd been drinking (her third glass) and headed silently toward the room she had made her own. We heard the door open, heard her quietly speak to Aitana, and then the door closed.

Leland released a ragged breath. "Man, has it ever been a long day."

"Just wait, stud. Nighttime ain't even here yet," I said.

"Thanks for the reminder," he replied, then looked at Branson. "I wish you could have met my grandfather. He would be so fascinated by your legend."

"Not to mention exceedingly pleased that the wolf won against the raven in at least one of his grandchildren," I pointed out.

"You are both aware that the wolf and the raven each mate for life, I imagine?" Branson asked.

Leland and I looked at each other and grinned, then I glanced at our guest. "Among other things - so it's not entirely a surprise that we bonded to each other. Just a little strange, at first, that our animal forms are different. I hardly even think about it now. He's just … Leland."

My words earned me a smile, and then silence fell for a moment, until the Lakota man spoke again.

"So, young lady," said Branson. "Tell me your story."


	26. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Just as I had begun my story, Jacob walked into Leland's house. As I spoke, he, too, seemed transfixed to hear the tale of the first six weeks of summer from a different perspective.

When I had reached the end of my story - the events of that day - Jacob expressed shock about Shalayne and Aitana: First, that there was now another female wolf; and second, that there was a bear at all, let alone one who had just a short while ago wanted to kill me. He also voiced much the same sentiments as Carlisle, wondering what other kinds of shapeshifters might be out there. And while he was eager to speak to Shalayne about becoming a wolf, he knew that right now, it was more important for her to help her friend heal. So he said goodbye to the three of us and left to fill Sam in.

After he had gone, Branson stroked his chin with his hand and regarded me thoughtfully. "That doesn't sound very dreadful to me," he said after a moment.

"When I first said that, I meant it as a joke," I told him. "But the more I think about it, there really wasn't much of a happy ending, was there?"

"Oh, I don't know about that," Leland said. "You and I made it through alright."

My smile was fleeting. "I know, Lee, and I still can't tell you how truly blessed I feel."

I sighed, then took a sip of my iced tea. "I just can't help feeling terrible for everyone whose part in this didn't turn out quite so fortunate."

Branson nodded slowly. "Indeed. Sierra's and Collin's deaths are a great sadness upon this place, and will continue to be for a while yet. But their lives, the good memories they gave to all who knew them, are something to celebrate."

"Yeah," I said, then glanced out the door, thinking of Seth and Jennifer. I wondered once again at the why of their pairing, and said so out loud.

"Perhaps it is as you said, and your brother is meant to save Jennifer from darkness," Branson mused.

"Okay, maybe," I conceded. "And I know that as my brother's imprint, I should accept her, but I just … It was easier to understand what Sam went through, having now been through it myself. He forgave me so readily for all the horrible things I said and did, so why do I find it so hard to forgive Jennifer now that she's basically a member of my family?"

"Let me ask you something," Leland said suddenly. "Do you even _want_ to forgive her? And if you do, _why_ do you want to forgive her?"

I frowned. "Well, yeah, I would like to. But what do you mean by why?"

Leland patted the hand he held. "Are you wanting to forgive Jennifer for Seth or for yourself?"

"Both," I said honestly. "I don't want to make Seth feel like he has to choose between us, and I don't want my mistrust of her to come between my brother and me. I want to be able to say I like my brother's girl - I'd like to be able to think of her as a sister someday. Plus, I don't want my hatred of what she's done to me and the others to stain my soul. I know what it's like to live with hatred in your heart, and I don't want to go through that again. I was not the kind of person that I really want to be."

"I think," Branson began, "that because you recognize that in yourself, it will make it easier for you to forgive Jennifer's transgressions. But forgiveness takes time."

I looked across the table at the older man. "If you're worried about my forgiving Aitana, don't. Her actions are easier to forgive because I understand her motivations better. I have been where she is."

Branson glanced toward the hallway, his hands clasped together against his chin. "It is not your forgiveness of Aitana that I am concerned about - though I do thank you for being so understanding."

He sighed, then added, "It is her forgiveness of herself."

* * *

><p>After Branson's worried statement about his daughter I got up from the table and walked outside, needing a little bit of air. I had told probably the most influential story of my life tonight, but I had left out a crucial part:<p>

I had not told them that Cailin was pregnant.

When I got to that part, I only said that we had talked, but that I knew no more than they did. Because Cailin had asked it of me, I kept her secret to myself. This was another burden, like forgiving Jennifer, that weighed heavily on me.

And it wasn't until that moment that I realized how very much I missed having my father to talk to. He might not have cared for vampires at all, but he was a wise man and he would have listened with an open mind as I poured out my heart to him. I even imagined that - while he might also have been unhappy with Fate's choice for Seth - my dad would nevertheless have welcomed Jennifer with more open a mind and heart than I had.

The first half of the summer had been full of surprises good and bad, but as I turned back toward Whistler Cottage to find Leland standing on the porch smiling down at me, I knew that no matter what the rest of it held - or even what the future beyond it held - I was going to make it through okay.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: I began this story in mid- to late-2009, and finished it in the spring of 2010. I wrote it based on some words <em>Twilight<em> author Stephenie Meyer was reported to have said. One quote I read had her saying that, post-_Breaking Dawn_, Leah was "pretty satisfied with life." She had also been quoted as saying that were she to continue the series, Leah was a character whose perspective she might use.**

**After reading those words, I began to wonder just how Leah got to a point where she was "pretty satisfied with life," given how angry and bitter she was through much of _Eclipse_ and _Breaking Dawn _- though she had clearly begun to mellow by the end of the latter book (not much, but some). I honestly figured that the only way Leah would reach such a state of happiness would be if she imprinted, so I chose that circumstance as the premise for this book. But seeing as not much good comes without sacrifice, I knew Leah would have to face challenges as she reached that final peace. I looked at this story as being an opportunity to explore imprinting in greater depth, as well as what it was like becoming a shapeshifter. I also saw it as a tool for showing how Leah has grown and matured since the end of the series, which I believed entirely plausible given some of the things she had said to Jacob prior to Renesmee's birth.**

**I would love to be able to present this story as a gift to Stephenie, because I honestly think she would enjoy how I used her words as inspiration. But given how unlikely it is that I shall ever have chance to meet her, I'm content with sharing it with all of you. My deepest thanks to all who have taken the time to read the story, and to those of you who have posted reviews. I'm glad you enjoyed it.**

**~ Christina**


	27. Playlist

**As a treat for everyone who has read _Full Circle_, I present my playlist for the book. Once again, I thank you all so much for reading, and am so glad you enjoyed the story!**

* * *

><p><strong>Daughtry  Home**

I chose this song because I felt that it was just the right song for Leah's musings about going home, a place where for the last few years she hadn't felt she belonged, but was beginning to see that she really did.

**Nickelback / Gotta Be Somebody**

**Natasha Bedingfield / Soul Mate**

These songs speak to Leah's loneliness, and how much she really wants to find love again. I also derived the title of Chapter 2 from the Nickelback song, as I thought it relative to what a wolf might feel when they imprint.

**3 Doors Down / Your Arms Feel Like Home**

This song is just perfect for the first time Leland embraces Leah on the beach, and for someone who'd begun to believe she would never imprint, I imagine being held by her perfect mate would most definitely feel like coming home!

**Patty Loveless / How Can I Help You Say Goodbye**

The scene where Leland says goodbye to his parents for the last time made me think of this haunting song, and how I imagined Leah would do the only thing she could to help him through his grief - simply be there.

**Mike and the Mechanics / In the Living Years**

This song is one about forgiveness, and is just the right one for the scene where Leah and Sam come to a new understanding, and the later scene where Leland's grandfather lets go of the past.

**Richard Marx / Now and Forever**

Richard Marx is my favorite recording artist of all time, so I knew I had to put one of his songs on my first novel soundtrack. I think this one is fitting for the sweet start to Leah and Leland's relationship.

**Puddle of Mudd / Blurry**

I thought this song went well with all the confusion Leland would be feeling upon hearing that some storybook monsters are real.

**The Pretenders / I'll Stand by You**

I really like this song a lot. It's a song about loyalty and faithfulness, and just being there for someone, and it fits for Leah's support of Leland when he discovers that he actually _is_ one of those storybook monsters.

**Linkin Park / Leave Out All the Rest**

I know that this song was on the _Twilight_ soundtrack already, but it is truly the best song for the scene where Leah leaves her house thinking she's never coming back, and her hope that she won't be remembered as the bitter harpy, but as the more mature and understanding person she's grown into.

**Christina Aguilera / Hurt**

This song also applies to Leah's departure scene, and speaks to her wish that she'd been a better person.

**3 Doors Down / It's Not My Time**

Leah's decided she can't - she _won't_ - give up the new life she's built for herself, and has decided not to go down without a fight.

**Nickelback / I'd Come for You**

This one is all about how Leland would always come for Leah, no matter where she is, no matter what she's done, or what kind of trouble she's in.

**Shania Twain (feat. Bryan White) / From This Moment**

This one is Leah's song for the future, and the life she will share with Leland.

**Muse / Uprising**

No _Twilight Saga_ soundtrack would be complete without a song from these guys, who inspired Stephenie Meyer to write her stories.


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